Poker is a card game of betting in which players place chips into a pot and then reveal their hands. The highest-ranking hand wins the pot. Different poker games may vary slightly in the number of cards dealt, their arrangement on the table and the way betting is conducted, but they all have the same basic rules.
After the preflop betting round is over the dealer deals three cards face-up on the board that everyone can use (the flop). Once this second round of betting is complete the dealer will put a fourth card down called the river.
When it’s your turn to act, you can either call the bet (match the amount the player to your left has raised) or raise it yourself. To raise the bet you must say “I open” or simply “raise.” To call, simply put the same number of chips into the pot as the player to your left.
It’s important to follow the etiquette of the poker table. Talking while not in a hand is not only disturbing to other players but it can also make the decision-making process much more difficult by distracting you and possibly giving away information about your hand. It’s also important to avoid complaining about bad beats as this makes other players uncomfortable and takes the fun out of the game.