When you play poker you have to know the rules and be able to read your opponent. This involves paying attention to subtle physical poker tells such as if someone is scratching their nose or playing nervously with their chips. It also involves analyzing their betting patterns and making assumptions about the strength of their hands. It takes time to become a good poker player but this is the best way to improve your game.

Prior to the start of a hand each player is required to place a contribution into the pot called an ante. This is usually a small bet but it adds value to the pot right away. Players can then decide whether to call, raise or fold their cards. The player with the highest ranked hand wins the pot.

A standard poker hand consists of 5 cards. The highest is a royal flush (a 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of the same suit). A straight contains 5 consecutive cards of the same suit that may be in any order. A pair is two cards of the same rank and another card of any rank.

During the course of a hand there may be several betting rounds. The dealer shuffles the cards and deals them to each player in turn, beginning with the player on their left. Depending on the poker variant being played, one or more players are required to make forced bets in each round. These bets are placed into the pot and each player is obligated to place in an amount equal to or greater than the bet made by the player before them.