Poker is a card game in which players compete to form the best possible hand, in order to win a pot at the end of each betting round. The pot is the sum of all chips put into the betting pool by each player. Often the goal of a skilled player is to get opponents to call bets that they might otherwise fold. This is accomplished by showing a strong, unbeatable hand, or by making a raise that other players will find difficult to call.

In poker, players place bets in a clockwise direction. Each player places their bet by placing one or more of their chips into the pot, depending on the type of bet they want to make. Each player can then choose to call the bet, raise it further, or drop (fold).

Once all players have received their 2 hole cards there is a round of betting, initiated by two mandatory bets called blinds that are placed into the pot by the players immediately to the left of the dealer. Another card is then dealt, which is known as the flop.

A good poker player plays a balanced style, which includes playing strong value hands as well as bluffing when appropriate. Deception is a key part of this strategy, and it’s important to learn how to read other players’ tells. These can include obvious cues like fiddling with their chips, or less obvious ones such as a nervous mannerism.