Poker is a game of chance, but you can improve your chances of winning by learning the rules and making smart decisions. You can fold your hand to get out of a hand, check (no bet), call (match the last player’s raise) or raise your own stake.

After each player has received their 2 hole cards, there is a round of betting that starts with the players to the left of the dealer. Then 2 more cards are dealt face up, called the flop. Then there are two more rounds of betting, after the turn and river.

A player can win the pot, or share it with other players, by having the best poker hand. The highest hand is a Royal Flush, which contains 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. The second highest hand is a Straight, which contains 5 cards that skip around in rank but are from the same suit. Third is a Pair, which is made up of 2 matching cards of one rank. Finally, a 3 of a kind is made up of three matching cards of one rank.

It is important to learn the betting strategy of other players, as this can make or break a hand. A good strategy involves raising your own bets when you have a strong hand and folding when you have no chance of winning. Another part of the strategy is learning to read other players’ behavior, particularly their tells. These are not just nervous habits, such as fiddling with chips or wearing a ring, but also their style of play and how they move their chips around the table.