Poker is a card game where players bet on the strength of their hands against those of others at the table. The highest ranking hand wins the pot. There are four rounds of betting: before the flop, after the flop, after the turn, and after the river. Players can fold, call (match a previous player’s bet amount), or raise their bet amounts during these intervals.

In each betting interval, the players who have not folded show their cards face up on the table. Then, the remaining players put in equal amounts of money into the pot before any more betting takes place.

The first step to learning how to play poker is understanding the rules of the game. Then it is a matter of developing quick instincts and putting in lots of practice. Observe experienced players and think about how you would react in their positions to develop your skills.

A hand can be made from two matching cards of the same rank, three unmatched cards of the same rank, or five cards in sequence that are all from the same suit. A straight has five consecutive cards of the same suit, a flush has five of the same suits in descending order, and three of a kind is made up of three matching cards of the same rank.

Your position in the hand can have a huge impact on your starting hand range and strategy. The earlier you are in the hand, the more risk you take because your opponent has more information to evaluate your action.