Poker is a game of chance where players compete to make the best five-card hand using two cards from their own hands and five community cards on the table. The person with the highest ranked poker hand wins the pot.

The first step to learning poker is understanding the game’s basic rules. Then you can practice your strategy and learn more advanced concepts like bluffing and relative hand strength.

To begin playing poker, each player must place an ante in the pot (an amount of money that each player must put up before their turn). Once all players have placed their antes the dealer will deal everyone two cards face down. Each player must then decide if they want to call, raise or fold their hands.

After the betting round is over the dealer will deal a third card to the table that anyone can use, called the flop. Then another betting round takes place. After the third betting round the dealer will place a fourth community card on the board that anyone can use called the turn. Finally the fifth and final community card will be revealed during the last betting round, which is called the river.

A common mistake that new players make is being too passive with their draws. If you hold a straight or flush draw then you should be aggressive with your betting to get more action on your hand. This will lead to you winning more pots and making more money.