The game of poker involves much more than just cards and a bet; it also requires the ability to read other players and their betting patterns. To master the game you must be able to identify conservative players from aggressive ones, and determine which hands are better than others.

To begin the game each player puts an ante or a blind bet into the pot and then the dealer shuffles and deals everyone 5 cards. Each player can then decide to discard one or more of their cards and take new ones from the deck, this is called drawing. Once the players have their cards they then place a round of betting and this is usually followed by the dealer putting 3 more cards on the table that anyone can use, this is called the flop.

In a poker hand the highest is the Royal Flush which includes a 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of the same suit, one kind (clubs, diamonds, hearts or spades). The next best hand is 4 of a kind which contains 4 cards of the same rank and another card of any rank (such as 4 aces and a 9). Then there is the Straight which has 5 consecutive cards in the same suit and finally the Flush that includes any 5 cards from the same suit but not necessarily in sequence or order.

The easiest way to learn poker is to find a local game and join in. If you want to play for money try starting at the lowest limits so you can learn from more experienced players without risking too much of your own bankroll. Observe more experienced players and analyze how they play to develop quick instincts for the game.