The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game played by two or more players. The object is to form a poker hand based on the cards that are dealt, in order to win the pot at the end of each betting round. The pot is the aggregate amount of bets placed by the players at the table. A player may also bluff in order to improve his or her chances of winning the pot.

Once each player has 2 cards, a round of betting begins, initiated by 2 mandatory bets called blinds that are put into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer. When it is your turn to act, you can raise, call or fold. Saying “call” means that you will bet the same amount as the player to your right. If you have a strong hand, it is often best to call so that you can force weaker hands out of the pot.

When it comes to your poker strategy, one of the most important skills to master is understanding how to read opponents. This includes knowing their ranges. By working out the range of possible cards that your opponent has, you can work out how likely they are to make a good hand on the flop. Trying to put your opponent on a specific hand can be risky, and it’s usually better to wait patiently for a situation where the odds are in your favour.