Poker is a game of chance, but it is also a game of strategy and psychology. You don’t see your opponent’s cards, so each action you take gives away bits of information that they can use to build a story about you. That’s why knowing how to read your opponents is so important. Their facial expressions, betting patterns, and even their fidgeting with their chips can tell you a lot about the strength of their hand.

After the dealer has dealt you five cards, you can decide whether to check (not place any money into the pot), call (match the last player’s bet), or raise (bet a larger amount than the previous player). Each time you say “call” or “raise,” you add another dollar in chips or cash to the betting pool. This is called the pot, and it is where you will bet if you have a strong hand and want to increase your chances of winning.

It’s a good idea to learn the rules of poker before you play it for real money. This includes understanding the basic hand rankings such as straight, flush, three of a kind, and two pair. You should also be familiar with the odds of making each hand. The higher the hand rank, the better your chances of winning. You can find charts online that will help you calculate the odds of making a certain hand. This is useful because it will help you determine how much to bet in order to win the most money.