Poker is a game in which players use their cards to try and make the best hand. The player with the best hand wins a pot of chips.

The game begins with each player putting up an initial bet, called the ante. The other players to the left of the ante must call that bet, raise or fold (also known as foldout).

A hand is made up of five cards. The value of the hand is inversely related to its mathematical frequency; that is, the more unusual the combination of cards, the higher its value.

In order to play well, you need to learn how to read your opponents. This involves observing how they play and watching for tells.

You also need to be able to bluff effectively. Bluffing is when a player bets strongly on a weak hand in the hope of influencing other players to fold superior hands.

The best way to bluff is to make it look like you have good cards, but you are actually holding weak ones. You can do this by calling when you have a draw, or making a big raise when you think your opponent has a strong hand.