The Basics of Poker

Poker is a game where each player has incomplete information about their opponents’ hands. Every action — fold, call, check, or raise — communicates something to your opponents and helps them build a story about your hand. This process, known as reading tells, is one of the most important aspects of the game.

The game begins when one or more players make forced bets, called an ante or blind bet. The dealer then shuffles the cards, and each player is dealt a hand, beginning with the player to their left. Cards may be dealt face-up or face-down depending on the variant of poker being played. After each betting round, the players reveal their hands. The highest-ranking hand wins the pot, which consists of all of the bets made during the round.

There are a number of strategies that can improve your chances of winning a hand in poker. One of the most important is learning about the basic rules and hand rankings. Another strategy is understanding the importance of position and bet size.

A player wishing to stay in the hand must either match or raise the bet made by the player immediately to his or her right. This is called calling. To call, a player must say “call” or “I call.” Then, the player places their chips into the pot. A player can also fold at any time during their turn by saying “fold.” The player to their right then takes over the hand and begins a new betting phase.