Poker is a game where players make bets to win money that is collected by other players in the pot. The player with the highest ranked hand when all cards are shown wins the pot. Often the winning hand is made by bluffing. This is done to give the appearance of a strong hand and force weaker hands to fold.
To play a good game of poker you must think about more than just your own cards. You need to be able to assess your opponent’s hands as well. You can’t control what they have but you can make them fold by applying pressure. This is what separates beginner poker players from pros.
During the first betting round (pre-flop) each player receives 2 hole cards. There are then 3 community cards dealt face up in the second betting round (the flop). A bet is made by each player in turn. The person to the left of the dealer does the shuffling and betting. This is called the button position.
There is a fourth betting round (the river) when the 5th community card is revealed. The final betting round is known as the showdown. The player with the best 5 card hand wins the pot. The pot consists of all bets made by the players during the hand.