How to Play Poker

Poker is a card game in which players place chips (representing money) into the pot, forming a hand to win. The highest-ranking hand wins the pot. There are many different variations of the game, but all involve betting between the players.

To begin a poker game, players must decide how much they want to bet. To do so, they should check their hand strength, which is the sum of all the cards in their hand. They also need to pay attention to the other players’ body language and facial expressions. If they suspect that their opponent is bluffing, they can try to read them by paying attention to subtle physical cues.

Each player takes turns opening and betting on their hand. If no one opens, the turn to open passes to the next player in clockwise order. The dealer has the last right to shuffle, and the first player to his or her left has the option of cutting the deck.

If a player has a good hand, they may choose to raise the amount that they bet by saying “raise.” The other players can either call or fold their hands. If a player calls, they must match the previous player’s bet to stay in the round. They can also say “call” if they want to remain in the round but would like to bet less than the previous player’s raise.