Poker is a card game in which players bet against each other. The player with the best hand wins. Depending on the tournament structure, there are often multiple rounds of betting and a final showdown where all remaining players display their hands.

To play poker, you must have a deck of cards and chips. Each chip has a specific value. A white chip is worth whatever the minimum ante is; a red chip is worth five whites; and a blue or other dark-colored chip is usually worth ten or twenty whites. A player can also buy in for more than the minimum amount.

During each betting interval, one player places a number of chips into the pot. The player to their left can call that bet by putting in the same number of chips; raise that bet by placing more chips into the pot; or drop their cards and leave the betting (fold).

When you have a strong hand, you should bet it. This will force other players to fold and increase the value of your hand. If you have a weak hand, however, it may be better to check.

A pair is two cards that are the same number — for example, two sixes. The higher the pair, the more valuable the hand. A three of a kind is three matching cards of the same rank. A straight is five consecutive cards in a suit. And a flush is five cards of the same suit but different ranks.