Poker is a card game where players place bets and the player with the best hand wins. It is a great game to play with friends and can be very addictive! The first thing that beginners need to learn is the rules of the game. A basic understanding of the game’s strategy will help you succeed in this exciting and fun game!

Each player begins the game with two mandatory bets called blinds, placed into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer. These bets create a pot right away and provide an incentive to play. Once everyone has their hole cards the dealer deals 3 community cards face up on the table. These are known as the flop, turn and river. Once these cards are dealt there is another betting round.

Beginners should always be aware of what other players are doing, and try to read their tells. Tells can include a lot of things like fiddling with their chips, playing nervously or even just the way they play the game. If a player who frequently calls suddenly makes a huge raise, it is probably because they are holding an unbeatable hand.

Top players always fast-play their strong hands, meaning that they bet at an early stage in the game to build the pot and chase off other players who may have a better hand than them. This is a very effective strategy that will help you increase your chances of winning.