Poker is a card game played by two or more players. The objective of the game is to make a winning hand using your own cards and those shared by the other players. There are many different variants of poker, but they all share some common elements.

In most games, one or more players are required to place forced bets, known as the ante and blind bets, before they are dealt cards. After the ante and blind bets are placed, the dealer shuffles the cards and deals them out to the players one at a time starting with the player on their left. The cards may be dealt face up or face down depending on the variant of poker being played.

Once all the players have their two cards, the first of what can be several betting rounds begins. When it is your turn to bet you can say “call” if you want to match the highest bet made in the round or “raise” if you want to increase the amount that other players are betting.

There are also some unwritten rules of poker etiquette that should be understood by new players. For example, never reveal how much you are betting to other players or imply that you have a strong hand by rubbing your hands together. It’s also a good idea to play at lower stakes when you’re just starting out, as this will minimize the financial risk and allow you to experiment with your strategy without risking too much money.