Poker is a card game that involves betting in intervals during which the players have the opportunity to put their chips into the pot (representing money). The player who has the highest-ranking hand at the end of the betting round wins the pot.
The dealer deals each player 2 hole cards face down. Once the betting starts each player can either call, raise or fold. If you say “call” you are placing a bet equal to the last player’s bet in the pot. If you say “raise” then you are adding more money to the bet.
Once the first betting round is complete the dealer puts 3 more cards on the board that anyone can use, this is called the flop. Then another round of betting starts, starting with the player to the left of the dealer.
A key thing to remember is that you should always be careful not to over-play your good hands. This is a common mistake that even advanced players make and it leads to them losing a lot of money. If you have pocket kings and an ace hits on the flop then that is the end of your luck because it will be beaten. A good way to avoid this is to observe your opponents and learn their tendencies. For example; if you notice that someone is a tight player then you should play a bit more cautiously with your preflop raises. Also pay attention to the size of their bets, stack sizes and how often they will continuation bet after the flop.