Poker is a game played between two or more people. Players place bets during one round, raising and re-raising as they wish. The object of the game is to win the pot, which is the sum total of all bets made during a hand. There are many different formats of the game, but the basic rules are the same. The best format for you to play is the one that suits your style of playing and allows you to have fun.

Each player is required to make an initial ante (amount varies by game). The dealer then shuffles the cards and the player on their chair to their right cuts. The dealer then deals the cards, usually face down. Each player then acts in turn, betting into the central pot if they wish.

When it is your turn to act you can say “call” or “I call” to indicate that you want to make a bet equal to the last player’s bet. You can also fold if you don’t want to participate in the hand.

After the first betting round (called the flop) another card is revealed on the board, which everyone can use to improve their poker hand. The highest poker hand wins the pot.

The most important thing to remember when playing poker is that your luck will vary significantly from session to session. Despite this, the best way to become a winning poker player over the long term is to follow a solid winning strategy and to always play within your bankroll.