Poker is a card game played between a small number of players. It involves betting and thus relies on a certain degree of chance, but when money is involved it also has quite a bit of psychology and skill. The more you play and watch others play, the quicker your instincts will develop.
One or more forced bets are made (the amount varies depending on the variant). The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals them out to the players one at a time, starting with the player to his left. A hand consists of two personal cards and five community cards that can be used by everyone. After the first betting round is complete the dealer places three additional cards face up on the table that anyone can use. This is called the flop.
The remaining players may call, raise, or fold their hands as they see fit. The person with the best five-card hand wins the pot. Typically, the winner will get all of the chips in the pot at that point, but this is not necessarily the case, and the winnings can be split among the players as agreed before the game begins.
While some aspects of poker depend on luck, the long-term expected return of a player is determined by the decisions they make, based on probability, psychology and game theory. It is important to pay attention to the way your opponents play, watching for physical tells and other behavioral cues. This will help you determine whether they have a strong or weak hand and avoid calling them down with mediocre hands.