Poker is a card game for two to fourteen players in which the player with the best hand wins the pot. The winning hand depends on a number of factors, including the quality and frequency of combinations of cards in a hand, the betting decisions of other players, and the rules of the variant.

The basic strategy of playing poker is to build a hand that has the highest value. This is determined by combining hole cards (pocket cards) with community cards, which are available to all players.

In the first round, each player is dealt a hand of cards, which may be face-up or face-down. The dealer shuffles the cards and deals them one at a time to each player, beginning with the player on the left.

Each player then bets in turn. The round is over when a player either calls or folds.

The dealer then puts a fifth card on the board, which everyone can use, called the river. If more than one player remains in the hand after the river, a showdown takes place where the cards are revealed.

There are a variety of poker sites where you can play for free or with real money. These sites can help you learn all the ins and outs of the game, and give you tips on how to play better.

Bet sizing is a vital skill to master when you are learning poker. This is important because a bet that is too high can scare others away, while a bet that is too small won’t see you winning as much as you would like.