Poker is a card game in which players wager chips based on the value of their hands. While luck plays a small role in each hand, over time the most correct decisions lead to winning results. There are many different strategies that can be used, but the key is to study and understand each one thoroughly.

The first step is to read all the poker books you can get your hands on. Don’t pay too much attention to tells or specific hand’s examples, though, as poker evolves quickly and the advice from yesterday may not work today.

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the rules, you’ll want to practice playing for fun and try to improve your skill level as you go. Eventually you’ll be ready to play for real money, but this will take a lot of patience and effort.

While you are playing, it is important to track your bankroll and only gamble with money that you can afford to lose. This way, you won’t be forced to make bad decisions just because you are losing money.

After the first betting round is complete, the dealer will put three cards face up on the table that everyone can use (the flop). Then he will deal another card to each player that they can also use – this is called the turn. Afterward, the player can decide whether to raise or fold their hand. The player with the highest-ranked five-card poker hand wins the pot.