There are many forms of poker, but most involve betting on a combination of cards that is called a poker hand. Players compete to win the pot, which is the total amount of bets placed on the deal. A player can win the pot by making a superior hand or by calling bets made by other players with inferior hands. Players can also bluff by betting that they have a strong hand when they do not.

To play poker you will need a certain number of chips, typically 200 or more. Each chip is worth a different amount depending on its color and value. Usually, a white chip is worth one minimum ante or bet; a red chip is worth five whites; and a blue chip is worth 20 or more whites. At the beginning of the game, each player buys in for a set amount of chips.

A poker game is played with two personal cards, known as hole cards, and a community deck of five cards revealed in the middle of the table, called the flop. A poker hand consists of the best combination of these cards.

As a beginner you should concentrate on learning about relative hand strength, rather than bluffing. Bluffing is a complicated strategy and requires a lot of practice and experience to learn how to read the other players at the table. If you decide to try bluffing, do so with caution because it can backfire.