Poker is a card game played by two or more people. It is a game of chance, but the outcome of any particular hand largely involves player choice. Players voluntarily place money into the pot when they believe that their bet has positive expected value or to try to bluff other players for various strategic reasons. The game is played with chips that have been assigned values prior to the start of play. Each player buys in for a set amount of these chips, typically ante and blind bets.

When the first betting round is complete the dealer deals three cards face-up on the table that anyone can use (called the flop). Once everyone has seen these new cards the second betting period, or round, begins. During this time any player may raise or call the current highest bet, or they can fold and give up their cards.

The final part of the hand is called the river, which shows one more community card. The players then compare their hands to see who has the best five-card poker hand. The winning hand must consist of at least a pair of distinct cards, and the high card breaks ties.

A good poker strategy requires aggression, but only when it makes sense. Too many new players look for cookie-cutter advice such as “always 3bet X hands” or “check-raise your flush draws.” There are no universal rules, and the right line in any spot is dependent on how well you read the table.