Poker is a game of chance, but it also involves quite a bit of psychology and skill. There are many different forms of the game, but in general players place bets to win a pot containing all bets made during one hand. A player can win the pot by having the best poker hand or by making a bet that no other player calls.

Typically, the first player to the left of the dealer makes an ante bet and the rest of the players put in their chips into the pot. Then the dealer shuffles the cards and deals them out to the players, starting with the player to his left. Cards are either dealt face up or face down depending on the variant being played. During each betting round, players can choose to call, raise or fold their hand.

If your hand is weak and you don’t want to continue betting, just fold it. A good strategy is to observe your opponents and the flop carefully before betting. You can even try a semi-bluff, where you bet with a weak hand but the intention is to force stronger hands out of the game by raising the value of yours.

If your hand is strong and you feel like continuing to raise the value of your bet, say “raise.” This will add money into the pot after your opponent has already placed his own. You can also say “call” to match the last bet if you wish.