A game played between two or more players using cards dealt face down to each player. The game has countless variations, but at its core poker is simply betting over a series of rounds with one player winning the pot.

Before the game starts, one or more players are required to place an initial amount into the pot, called forced bets (also known as antes or blind bets). The dealer then shuffles and cuts the deck, and then deals each player five cards face down. After the deal, betting begins, and a player may choose to fold if they don’t have a good hand or call if they do have a strong one.

If you’re playing with a partner, you can also raise your bet to force weaker hands out of the pot. This is called “calling” and is a key part of the game’s strategy.

One common mistake beginner poker players make is to be too passive with their draws. To improve, start by being more aggressive with your draws and betting your opponent more often. You’ll find that these hands become a lot more profitable. Over time, you’ll develop an intuition for things like frequencies and EV estimations. That way, they’ll be a natural part of your decision making process at the table.