Poker is a card game that involves betting between two or more players. There are many different variations of this game, but they all share some common features. The goal of a hand is to win the pot – all of the money that players have bet during that hand. The winning player either has the highest ranked hand or continuously raises their bet until other players drop out.

The first round of betting begins after each player has received 2 hole cards. The initial bets are forced and come in the form of ante and blinds. Players can call (match the previous bet), raise (increase the amount of money they are betting) or fold.

In addition to basic strategy, it is important to know the rules of poker and understand how to read your opponents. A good way to do this is by learning about tells – the unconscious habits of a player that give away information about their hands. These can be as simple as a change in posture or as complex as a gesture.

Another key aspect of poker is knowing how to calculate hand frequencies – the mathematical likelihood that a particular hand will appear in the deck. This is particularly important for high ranking hands such as four of a kind and straight flush, which can be formed in a limited number of ways. These calculations can be difficult for beginners, but with practice they become much easier.