Poker is a card game that involves forming the best hand based on the cards in your hand and betting in order to win the pot at the end of each round. The pot is the total of all bets made during a hand. It’s important to understand the basic rules and how to play the game to be successful.

Before the cards are dealt, players place an initial amount of money into the pot (called blinds or antes). Then, each player receives 2 hole cards and the first round of betting begins.

Then, 1 more card is dealt face up (called the flop). Another round of betting begins, starting with the player to the left of the dealer.

After the flop, there’s another card dealt face up called the river. This ends the betting round and whoever has the highest ranking hand wins the pot.

One of the most important skills to learn in poker is how to read your opponents and their actions. This is referred to as telling and it includes observing body language, facial expressions, gestures and breathing. You can use these clues to figure out whether an opponent has a strong or weak hand. In addition, reading your opponents can help you determine if they are bluffing and can also give you clues about their betting patterns. Finally, learning how to fold at the right time is important to long-term profitability and can increase your overall winning percentage.