Poker is a card game played between a number of players. It is mostly a game of chance, but it does involve a lot of strategy and psychology. It is also a very social game, often played with a group of friends or acquaintances.
In most games, players place money into the pot prior to dealing a hand. This is called the ante. The player to the left of the button (or in some cases the player that raised the ante) has last action. When it is their turn to act they can either call a bet (put the same amount as the player before them) or raise it. When they call a bet they must put chips or cash into the pot. They can also fold at any time during a hand.
After the first betting round is complete the dealer deals three cards face up on the table. These are community cards that anyone can use. This is called the flop. Then another betting round takes place. After that the dealer puts a fifth community card on the table that anyone can use. This is called the river.
After the final betting round the player with the best five card poker hand wins the pot. There are many different poker hands but the most common ones are Straights, Flushes and Full Houses. A Straight is a combination of 5 consecutive cards in the same suit. A Flush is a combination of 5 consecutive cards of the same rank. A Full House is a combination of 3 matching cards and 2 community cards.