Poker is a card game in which players wager money (known as chips) to win the pot at the end of each betting round. The goal is to form the best possible hand based on card rankings, while taking advantage of your opponents’ actions. While it is a game of chance, it involves a significant amount of skill and psychology.

To play poker, you must first “ante” something (amount varies by game but is usually a nickel). Once everyone has done this, the cards are dealt. Once betting gets around to you, you can either call the previous player’s bet, raise your own, or fold. If you call or raise, you must then put a certain amount of money into the pot before your turn again.

Another important aspect of poker is reading your opponents. This is crucial as you will need to be able to assess the actions of other players, and understand their overall game plan. This is an area where newbies often struggle, as they may be too impulsive and make mistakes such as betting too much or playing hands they should have folded.

As you progress, you’ll be able to read the game better and improve your decision making. There are a number of factors that you should always keep in mind, such as the size of your opponent’s bet sizing (the larger it is, the tighter you should play) and stack sizes (when short stacked, you should focus on high card strength). If you can master these skills, you will be able to improve your poker performance.