Poker is a card game in which players place chips or cash into a pot before each round of betting begins. This initial amount is called an ante, blind or bring-in, and it’s mandatory in most games. After this initial forced bet, players can choose to fold (drop out of the current hand), call or raise. Calling means that you’re placing the same amount as the last person who raised, whereas raising is done to put more money into the pot and possibly scare off opponents that you have a strong hand.

There are four rounds of betting in poker: before the flop, after the flop, after the turn, and finally after the river. On each round, a player can fold, check (don’t place any bet), call (match a previous bet), or raise (bet a larger amount than the last person).

The first step to improving your poker skills is knowing how to read other players. This includes learning about “tells,” which are the little things that players do to signal their strength or weakness in a hand. For example, if a player fiddles with their chips or rings their fingers when they make a bet, it’s likely that they are holding a weaker hand and are trying to hide it from other players.

Another important aspect of reading your opponents is timing your bets. Top players often fast-play their strong hands, which not only builds the pot but also chases off opponents who are waiting for a better hand to beat yours.