Poker is a card game played by two or more players. It is a game of chance but involves considerable strategy and psychology as well. The best players are able to read their opponents and make informed decisions. There are some basic rules that must be followed in all games of poker. The game starts with all players “buying in” a certain amount of chips. Then cards are dealt and the betting begins. The highest hand wins the pot. Players can choose to fold, call or raise.

Each player must “ante” a small amount of money (the amount varies by game but is typically a nickel) before betting begins. Then each player places a bet into the pot, which is placed in the middle of the table. The highest hand at the end of the betting period wins the pot. Players can also raise the amount of their bet at any time during the hand.

In most games, each player has seven cards. The first five are in your personal hand and the final two are called community cards. The community cards are revealed in a process called the flop. The flop is where many of the best hands are made or broken. A strong pocket pair such as a pair of kings or queens can be destroyed by an ace on the flop.

A flush contains 5 consecutive cards of the same suit (either spades, hearts, diamonds or clubs). A straight is five cards of successive rank but from different suits. A full house is 3 matching cards of one rank and 2 matching cards of another rank. A three of a kind is 3 cards of the same rank. A high pair is two distinct pairs of cards and a fifth card that breaks ties.

It is important to play only with money that you can afford to lose. This will keep you from getting frustrated when you don’t win. It is also a good idea to track your winnings and losses if you play regularly.

The kitty is a fund used to pay for things like new decks of cards or food and drinks. It is built up by taking a low-denomination chip from every pot in which there are more than one raise. When the game ends, any chips left in the kitty belong to the players who are still in the hand. This is different from other card games where the kitty belongs to all players.