Poker is a card game where you try to make the best 5-card hand. Each player is dealt 2 cards face down, which are hidden from other players. You can use these and the 5 community cards on the table to create your hand. In some games, you can also draw replacement cards to your hand. This is done during or after the betting phase and depends on the rules of your game.
The highest poker hand wins the pot, which is the total amount of bets placed during one round of play. There may be a tie between players with the same high hand, or a player can win multiple pots during a single round of play. There are also often rules about how the money from each pot is shared.
Some games have a requirement that each player make a small bet, called the blind bet. This bet is made before the players are each dealt their cards and can replace the ante or be in addition to it.
If you choose to check, that means you won’t raise the bet, but if someone raises after you then you have to call the bet or drop your hand. This is sometimes referred to as “sandbagging.” Some games have a special fund that players contribute, called the kitty. This fund pays for new decks of cards and food, drinks, etc. Any money left in the kitty when the game is over is split equally among the remaining players.