Poker is a card game that requires a lot of skill and psychology. The basic idea is that you play against other players for money (called the pot) and your goal is to make the best 5-card hand at the end of a round. The player who has the best hand wins all the money in the pot.
To start a round, each player puts down 2 mandatory bets called blinds into the pot before being dealt 2 cards face-down. These cards are known as a player’s hole or pocket and are hidden from the other players. There is a betting phase after the pre-flop, then 3 more cards are dealt face up at the center of the table, known as the flop. These cards are community and everyone can use them to create their best hand. There is another betting phase after the flop, then 1 more card is dealt face up, known as the turn.
The players then reveal their hands in clockwise order. The first player to reveal his or her hand may call if a raise was made since their last turn, or they can raise by saying “raise” before making their bet. Players can also choose to fold, which means they give up their chance to win and remove themselves from the pot. They can also check, which means they pass their turn to act and wait for other players to decide what to do.