Poker is a card game in which players wager money (or chips) on the outcome of a hand. The game has several betting rounds, and each round involves a player placing chips into the pot (representing money). The first player to act has the privilege or obligation, depending on the rules of the particular variant being played, to make a forced bet (sometimes called an ante or blind bet).

When it is your turn to act, you can “call” the previous player’s bet, meaning that you will place the same amount of chips or cash in the pot as they did. You can also raise your bet, which is an indication that you believe your hand is stronger than the other players’.

After all players have received their two hole cards, another set of cards is dealt face up on the table (the flop). A new round of betting begins, starting with the player to the left of the big blind.

You can also choose to fold your hand, which means discarding your two hole cards and not participating in the next round of betting. This can be a good move if your cards are not strong enough to compete with the other players’ hands.