The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game in which players bet against each other to win the pot. The goal of the game is to use your own two cards and the five community cards on the table to create the best possible 5-card hand.

There are many different variations of the game. Some are more popular than others, but they all share a few common elements. You should study all of them to understand the game as a whole, but start with some of the more popular ones like Texas Hold’em and Omaha.

Each round of betting begins with one player placing a number of chips (representing money) in the pot, as dictated by the rules of the specific game being played. This player is called the button and it is his or her responsibility to call any bets placed by players in front of them.

Once the pre-flop and flop have been dealt, an additional 5 community cards are introduced. These can be used by every player to make the strongest possible 5-card hand. This is known as the “river”.

During the river, each player has one last chance to bet on their hand. Typically, the player with the highest ranked hand wins the pot.