Poker is a card game in which players form a hand based on the cards they are dealt and aim to win the pot at the end of each betting round. The pot is the sum of all bets placed by all players. The player with the highest-ranked hand at the end of the final betting phase wins the pot. Players reveal their hands at the end of a round by turning them over in a showdown. Players can also use bluffing to improve their odds of winning the pot.

The first step in learning to play poker is becoming familiar with the rules. There are many different variants of the game, but most of them are played with a standard deck of 52 cards. Some variants allow players to discard cards from their hands and replace them with new ones, while others require players to keep all of the cards they have.

Once you understand the rules of the game, it is time to begin practicing. Start by playing low stakes games to minimize the risk of losing money. In addition, practice reading the other players at your table to improve your strategy.

When it is your turn to place a bet, you can say “check” to pass on the opportunity to raise a bet or “call” to match the previous player’s raise. You can also say “raise” to increase the amount of your bet. If you raise, the other players must either call or fold their bets to stay in the hand.