Poker is a card game where you bet on your own cards against other players’ cards. The game has many variants but it is basically played in a series of rounds with bets going into a central pot. Players can fold their cards if they don’t believe they have a good hand. They can also raise and call to make their opponents think they have a strong hand.

When you start out in poker, you can play online or live. Online poker is easier to learn because you can practice at low stakes and see how other players play. However, live poker is the most exciting and can be a great way to make money.

A hand in poker is usually made up of two cards of equal rank, and three unrelated side cards. The highest-ranking hand wins the pot. A royal flush is a hand consisting of the King, Jack, Queen, and Ace of one suit.

Once all the players have their cards, the first round of betting begins. The dealer will shuffle the cards, and then the player to their right will cut. The dealer will then deal each player 2 cards. They will then be able to say hit, stay or double up (if they have high value cards). When the player to your left raises their bet you can say “call” which means that you’ll put in the same amount as they did.