Poker is a card game played by 2 or more people. In the game, players put up money before being dealt cards to create a pot and encourage competition. Each player acts in turn. The person with the highest hand wins the pot. During the game, each player can fold, call or raise. Some cards are placed face up on the table for everyone to see and these are called community cards. The best possible hand is a straight flush, which contains five consecutive cards of the same suit, such as jacks, sixes and sevens. A full house is three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another, such as kings, queens and eights. Two pair is two matching cards of the same rank and two unmatched cards.

It’s important to understand the odds of your hand and how they compare to those of your opponents. This is important because it allows you to make decisions based on what your opponent is likely to have and how much value a specific bet has for you.

If you have a high-quality hand, then it’s usually better to raise than limp. This will help to get rid of the weak hands and increase your chances of winning. If you don’t think your hand is strong enough to raise, then it’s probably best to fold. It’s also a good idea to read the rules of poker before you start playing.