Poker is a popular card game that’s a great way to pass time. You can play for free or with real money, and there’s a lot of strategy involved.

The first step is to learn the rules of the game. You’ll need a deck of cards and a few players to play with.

Once you’ve got all the cards and you’re ready to start playing, you’ll need to decide on an ante, which is your initial buy-in. It’s usually a small amount, like $1 or $5, and it’s decided by the table.

You’ll then have a few betting rounds to make your decisions. You’ll be able to choose to fold (not play), check, or raise, which means adding more money to the pool of bets.

Each round the dealer deals three community cards face up on the board, and everyone gets a chance to bet, raise, or fold. When the fourth betting round has been completed, a fifth community card is revealed on the table and the last player with the best hand wins.

You should know how to read other people’s hands, and how to bluff them. This will help you get more chips from your opponents, and it’s also a good way to improve your own poker skills.