Poker is a card game where the goal is to maximise your winnings and minimise your losses. You do this by calculating the strength of your hand and understanding the betting patterns of your opponents. You also need to know the rules of the game, including how to call or raise a bet and when to check.
The game starts with a round of betting once all players have 2 cards each. There are usually a few shuffles before the action begins. The player to the left of the dealer is known as the button and must place an initial amount into the pot before any players can act. These forced bets are called blinds.
After the players have placed their blinds, they can call or raise the bets that are already in play. Raising adds more money to the pot and makes your opponent have to decide if they want to stay in the hand or fold their cards.
You need to learn how to read your opponents and look for tells – tells are the little signs that show a player is nervous or worried about their chances of winning. This is especially important when playing against beginners as they often give away clues about the strength of their hand. For example, if a player looks bored on the flop with their hand on their chin and then all of a sudden bets heavily into you, it’s likely they are holding an unbeatable hand.