Poker is a card game where players compete to win the pot, which is the sum of all the bets made in a given deal. There are several variants of the game and it can be played with 2 to 14 players.

The first step to learning poker is understanding the basic rules. This includes the etiquette and rules of the game as well as how to make bets. Once you have this down you can move on to the more advanced concepts and lingo of the game.

You must also learn how to read your opponents. A large part of this involves paying attention to subtle physical tells, but it can also be done by watching their betting patterns. For example if a player calls every bet then it is likely that they are holding a strong hand.

After the initial betting round is complete the dealer deals three cards face up on the table that anyone can use. This is called the flop. Once again there is another betting round.

The last betting round is the showdown where each player reveals their cards and the winner is declared. There are a number of different ways to win a poker hand, including a straight, full house, or flush. A straight is 5 cards in a row that are of the same suit. A full house is 3 matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another. And a flush is five consecutive cards of the same rank but from more than one suit.