Poker is a card game played by 2 or more people in which cards are dealt face up and there are rounds of betting. It is important for new players to understand the rules of the game as well as how to read other players. It is also recommended that new players play only with money they are willing to lose.
Once the cards are dealt there is a round of betting that is initiated by 2 mandatory bets called blinds put into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer. This creates an immediate pot of money and encourages players to play.
On the flop there is another round of betting. Then a fourth card is dealt to the table which everyone can see and again there is another round of betting. Finally on the river there is one final community card that all players can use to make their highest ranked hand.
The key to winning poker is knowing what hands beat what. It is important for new players to quickly study charts that show what hands are best and what hands beat each other. For example a flush beats a straight and three of a kind beats two pair. The more situations that you encounter the better you will be at making the correct decision.
