Poker is a game that involves betting and requires some level of skill to play well. It is a card game that can be played in many ways, but it always involves cards and chips. The ability to minimize losses with poor hands and maximize winnings with strong ones is the underlying skill that makes Poker a game of strategy.

In the game of Poker, each player has two private cards, called hole cards, which they can use to make a hand. They also have a community pile of cards that are shared by all players. During each round of betting, players can fold (drop out of the hand), call (match the highest bet so far) or raise (increase the previous high bet).

Before the cards are dealt, players must place an initial contribution into the pot, called the ante. Depending on the rules of the game, this may be mandatory or voluntary.

During the first betting round, players should be aggressive in their betting. This will force players with weaker hands to call or raise, which increases the value of your own hand. If you have a premium opening hand like a pair of Aces or Queens, bet big to assert dominance early in the game.