Poker is one of the most popular card games in the world. It’s easy to learn and fun to play. Whether you’re looking to improve your game, or just want to impress your friends, it’s important to understand the basics.

The basic rules of poker are simple: two cards for each player, betting in rounds and a showdown at the end of the hand. The winner of the hand takes all the chips in the pot. There are many different variants of poker, but most games revolve around the same basic rules.

A good poker player knows how to read the other players’ actions and make them fear a strong hand. This can help them to raise their own bets and put pressure on opponents. This is what separates the pros from the beginners.

When playing poker, the goal is to make a five-card hand that beats the other players’ hands. The best hand wins the pot. However, it’s not always necessary to go all the way to a showdown. If you can make your opponent think that your cards are high enough, they may fold in earlier rounds.

Before the start of a round, players purchase chips. Each chip represents a certain value: a white chip is worth the minimum ante, a red chip is worth a bet and a blue chip is worth a raise. The dealer usually sets the table and distributes the chips to the players.

After the cards are dealt, each player has the opportunity to check (make no bet), call or raise. This is based on the strength of their starting hand and their position at the table. Players in late positions often have more information about their opponents’ hands and can make better decisions than those in early positions.

Once everyone has checked, the dealer will reveal three community cards face up on the table that any player can use. This is known as the flop. Then the dealer will deal a fourth card, which is also open to everyone. This is called the turn. Finally, the fifth and final community card is dealt, which is known as the river.

The strongest hand in poker is the royal flush. This is made up of the ace, king, queen, jack and deuce. It’s also possible to have a straight, which is three consecutive cards of the same suit. A flush can also be a full house, which is four of the same cards and one pair.

The highest unmatched pair wins, but if there’s a tie, the winnings are shared. If you have a pair of the same cards, but different ranks, this is considered a weaker hand. You can still win the pot with a pair, but it’s not as good as a full house or a royal flush.