How to Play Poker

The goal of poker is to form the best possible five-card hand based on the ranking of cards, and win the pot at the end of each betting round. You can also win the pot by bluffing, which involves placing a bet that no other players call and forcing them to fold. It is important to play every hand aggressively, even if you believe that you don’t have a high-ranking one.

Players buy in for a specific amount of chips before the start of each game, which is then used to place bets during the course of the round. The dealer then announces which player has the highest-ranking hand at the end of the hand, and pushes the pot of chips to them. It is a good idea to ask for help from fellow players if you are unsure how to place a bet, and watch other experienced players for examples.

When it’s your turn to bet, you can choose to open the betting by saying “I open.” You can also say “call” to match the previous bet, or raise it by a certain amount – which is known as a ‘check-raise.’ If you’re unsure of your bet size, it is often safer to simply call the last bet. This way, you won’t get stuck with a weak hand. However, if you feel that you have a strong hand and want to stay in the game, folding can be a smart move.