Poker is a card game in which players bet against each other based on the value of their poker hand. Players place bets with plastic or ceramic discs called chips, which can be exchanged for money at the end of the game. If the player has a better hand than the other players, they win the pot.
To begin a poker game, each player puts in a small amount of money that is collected into a pot and the cards are dealt. When a player has a good hand, they can raise their bet to increase their chances of winning the pot. If they have a weak hand, they can fold to get out of the hand.
Once all players have 2 hole cards there is a round of betting, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. Then another 3 community cards are dealt face up, this is the flop. Then there is a second betting round, again starting with the player to the left of the deal.
During this time it is best to play conservatively and not to make too many bets, as you want to minimize your risk. It is important to pay attention to your opponent and categorize them. Every player falls on a spectrum between extremely tricky and straightforward, and the sooner you can put them in one of these categories the easier it will be to understand their actions. For example, if an opponent usually folds their hands you can categorize them as tight.