Poker is a card game where players compete against one another to make the best hand. It is a game of strategy and skill, and it can be played with chips or real money.

Poker has several different variations, and each requires a specific strategy for play. In the most common variation, Texas Hold’em, each player starts by placing an ante wager before the cards are dealt.

Once the ante is in place, each player then looks at their two cards and decides whether to fold, call the ante, or raise their bet. This round of betting continues until everyone has folded or the dealer calls all of the bets.

The dealer then “burns” a card from the top of the deck and deals three cards faceup to the board. Anyone who is still in the hand can use these community cards to form a hand.

During this first round of betting, the player to the left of the small blind (or to the right in live poker) acts first by folding, checking, or raising his bet. If no player calls the small blind, the big blind may check or raise his own bet to continue the action.

The dealer then “burns” a second card from the deck and deals three more cards faceup to the board. This is the flop. During this round of betting, any player who is still in the hand may use these community cards to form a hand.