Poker is a card game in which players wager money on the chance of making a winning hand. While luck will always play a factor, skilled players can significantly increase their chances of winning by following some basic strategies and practicing regularly.

Before each betting round begins the dealer will deal everyone two cards. These are called your personal cards. After the betting round is over he will put three additional cards face up on the table that anyone can use to form a poker hand. These cards are called the flop.

After the flop, you will need to decide whether to call a bet or fold your cards. You can also raise a bet by increasing the amount you want to put up. This will make other players raise their bets as well, which can lead to a showdown where the player with the highest hand wins the pot.

There is an old saying in poker: “play the player, not the cards.” What this means is that a hand is good or bad only in relation to what other players are holding. For example, if you have K-K and someone else has A-A then your kings are losers 82% of the time.

To improve your poker game you need to learn how to read other players. This is not just a general skill that includes watching subtle physical poker tells, like scratching the nose or fiddling with chips. Poker reading is a lot more specific and involves observing things like mood shifts, eye movements, and how long a player takes to make decisions.