Poker is a card game where players put money into the pot before they see their cards. This helps create a pot right away and encourages competition among players. Players can also fold, which means they throw their cards away and quit the hand.

After the initial betting rounds, three community cards are dealt. Then, another round of betting takes place. After this, players can check, which is passing on the bet, or raise, which is betting more than the player before them.

The player with the highest ranked hand wins the pot, which is all the chips that have been bet during that deal. If a player has a weak hand, they can try to win the pot by bluffing. This can be done by staring at other players and looking for tells, which are non-verbal cues that indicate whether someone is bluffing or not. Tells can include shallow breathing, sighing, a nervous smile, flaring nostrils, or blinking rapidly.

Several books can help beginners learn the rules of poker. Some are more technical and focus on poker math, such as balance, frequencies, and ranges. Other books are more intuitive and explain how to read hands from a 10,000-foot view. In either case, learning these concepts should be the first step in becoming a better poker player. After that, the best way to improve is to practice and watch other players. By observing how experienced players react to certain situations, you can develop quick instincts and play the game well.