Poker is a card game where skill and psychology are important, but it also involves a certain amount of chance. With practice, players can minimize the amount of luck required to win a hand. However, even the best player will lose hands now and then.

When you’re just starting out, it is a good idea to study the basic rules of the game. This will help you understand the terminology used by experienced players and improve your chances of understanding a new hand. It’s also a good idea to study the different game variations so that you know what is involved in each.

Once each player has 2 hole cards, there is a round of betting called the preflop. This is followed by 3 more cards being dealt face up – this is known as the flop. There is another round of betting, which starts with the player to the left of the dealer.

The 5th and final card is dealt face up – this is known as a river. The player with the best 5 card poker hand wins the pot. If nobody has a high enough hand, the remaining players will reveal their hands and the winner is declared.

During the betting phase, players can say “call” to put in the same amount as the last person (as long as they don’t have a better one). This is a great way to force weaker hands out and raise the value of your pot.