Poker is a game of skill in which players bet or raise chips, and the player with the highest hand wins. The game is played worldwide, in casinos, private homes, and over the Internet.

The first step in learning how to play poker is to understand the basic rules. This will help you develop a good strategy and know what to do when you have an opportunity to make a bet.

There are several variants of poker, all with the same basic game rules. These include draw poker (where a complete hand is dealt to each player, then betting takes place), five-card draw, and stud poker.

Strategy is key in poker and a good strategy list will help you to decide whether or not to keep your cards, exchange them for new ones, or fold your hand. You can find strategy lists for virtually every poker game online.

Betting and managing the pot

Before each round of betting, a player may be required to place an initial bet into the pot, called an ante. Then, each player to the left of the last bettor must either “call” that bet by placing the same number of chips into the pot; or “raise,” which means that they put more than enough chips into the pot to call; or “fold,” which means that they put no chips into the pot, discard their hand, and are out of the betting until the next deal.