Poker is a card game played between players and involves betting over a series of rounds. There are many different variations of the game, but most share some basic rules. In the end, the player with the highest ranked five-card hand wins the pot.

Before the cards are dealt, two mandatory bets called blinds are placed into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer. These bets help to create an incentive for players to play. It is important to understand these bets as they will affect your decisions at the table.

When the first player in a betting round calls a bet, they must put in at least as many chips as the previous player or risk losing their hand. The other players may choose to call the bet, raise it, or drop (fold).

After the first round of betting, three more cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. These are known as the flop, turn, and river. The flop is especially important for players holding strong hands, as it will give them a better idea of the strength of their opponents’ hands.

If you have pocket kings and the flop comes A-8-5, that’s a good time to fold. However, if you have a good poker mind, you can use the flop to your advantage. For example, if the board has lots of flush and straight cards, you might want to call a re-raise with your pocket kings even though it’s not a great poker hand.