Poker is a game that involves betting between players over a series of rounds and ending with a showdown in which the player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. There are a lot of different variants of the game, but all of them share the same basic rules. In addition to knowing the rules, it’s also important to understand the odds of each type of poker hand.

When a new poker player begins a game, they will buy in for a specified number of chips. These chips are usually white or light-colored, and each chip represents a specific amount of money (e.g., one white chip is worth the minimum ante). Alternatively, poker can be played for non-monetary tokens such as matchsticks or counters. In most cases, the dealer is responsible for shuffling and determining who bets first.

After the players receive their two hole cards, there will be a round of betting that is initiated by 2 mandatory bets called blinds placed into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer. This creates a pot immediately and provides an incentive for people to call bets.

The next step is to deal three cards face up on the table for everyone to see. Then there is another round of betting, and finally the dealer puts a fourth card on the board that anyone can use. During each of these phases, the players can assess their cards and compare them to the other players’ hands.