Poker is a card game that can be played by two or more players. The game begins when each player antes a small amount of money (the amount varies by game). Players then receive cards. Once everyone has two cards they place bets into a pot in the middle of the table. The player with the highest hand wins the pot.

The first betting round in a hand starts with the player to the left of the big blind. They can choose to put in their chips equal to the big blind (call), raise the current bet by putting in double the amount of the big blind (raise), or push their cards to the dealer face down without saying anything (fold).

After the first betting round is complete the dealer deals three more cards face up on the table that everyone can use. These are called the flop. Then another betting round takes place. Finally, the dealer puts a final card face up on the board that everyone can use. This is called the turn.

Throughout the hand, the players try to form the best five-card poker hand they can with their own two cards and the community cards. Each poker hand has a category that it belongs in and a number that ranks it amongst other poker hands. Any poker hand that is higher in the category beats any lower-ranking hand. For example, a full house beats any straight and a flush beats any three of a kind.