Learn the Basics of Poker

The game of poker is an exciting card game with many different variants. It is important to understand the rules and hand rankings of each before playing. There are plenty of free tutorials available online to get started. You can also practice on a poker app like PokerBaazi to improve your skills before going out and risking real money!

Each player begins the game with an initial amount of money called chips. Typically, these are white chips of the same denomination. Each chip is worth a specific amount of money, such as one ante or bet. The player to the left of the dealer places these chips into the pot before the cards are dealt, which are called blinds. These are forced bets that help create action in the pot and keep the game moving.

When it is your turn to act, you can either call, raise or fold. If you say raise, you add more chips to the betting pool. A raise must be at least as much as the highest bet made by any player in the previous betting interval. You can also say “check,” which means that you will not place any chips into the pot.

Watching high-level players play in live sessions is a great way to pick up some tips on how to play the game. Pay particular attention to their body language and betting patterns. You can learn a lot about how to read other players by watching their actions. Some of these tells are subtle, but others can be quite clear. For example, if a player checks every time, you can assume they have a weak hand.