Poker is a card game with an element of chance, but it can also involve a great deal of skill. It can be played socially for pennies or matchsticks, or professionally for thousands of dollars. It is often considered a game of deception, but is in fact a test of, and a window into, human nature. It is one of the few games in which the player can control their own destiny and not simply react to other players’ actions.

At a live game or online poker table the first step to winning is knowing how to read other players. The basic tells in poker include shallow breathing, sighing, flaring nostrils, eyes watering, eyebrows rising or contracting, a hand over the mouth, and an increasing pulse seen in the neck or temple. A good player will try to read the other players’ ranges too – the set of hands they might hold at any given time.

After each player has a look at their cards the dealer deals the first of what might be several betting rounds. The players then act in turn. They can call (match the amount of money raised), raise, or fold their hand.

The dealer will then deal three more cards face-up on the board, called the flop. These are community cards that any player can use. If you don’t think your hand is strong enough to win on the flop then you should fold. Continuing to bet on a weak hand will only drain your chips faster.