Poker is a card game played by a group of people around a table. Players place bets into the pot (the middle of the table) each round, and the player with the highest hand wins. Players can also call, or raise, a bet when it is their turn. The game is fast-paced, and betting often happens in quick succession.

When a player has a strong hand they can often win many pots in a row, while weak hands are unlikely to win any. This makes the difference between break-even beginner players and winning players much smaller than many people believe. It is often just a few small adjustments a person can make to their play over time that will carry them over to winning at a higher rate.

Generally speaking, the strongest hands in poker are pairs, three of a kind, and four of a kind. In the case of four of a kind, the hand with the higher rank wins (for example, five aces beats four kings). If more than one hand has four of a kind, then high card rules apply.

When a player wants to bet, they usually say “call” to indicate that they want to bet the same amount as the last player (either calling the initial bet or raising it). If they don’t have a hand to call, they can just check. This way, the player will wait to see if any of their opponents raise or fold.