Poker is a card game where players bet on their hand, hoping to win the pot. This is a game of strategy and psychology (and luck). The best way to learn the game is by reading a book or joining a group of people who know how to play.

Each betting interval begins with the player to the left of the dealer placing one or more chips into the pot. Other players can choose to “call” that bet by putting the same amount into the pot; “raise” the bet by adding more chips to it; or simply “drop” by not putting any chips into the pot. If you want to play the game of poker you will need a set of cards that have been dealt face down to each player.

A good rule of thumb to follow when playing poker is to play only the best hands. Any book written by a pro will tell you this. That doesn’t mean that you should never play a hand such as pocket kings or pocket queens but it does mean that you should be wary of a flop with lots of high suited cards on it. For example if you have pocket kings and the flop comes A-8-5 it could spell doom for your hand. That’s because the other players may have a very strong suited hand that will beat yours.