Poker is a game where players form hands based on the rankings of cards and then compete to win the pot (the aggregate of all bets placed during a hand). In order to win the pot, you must have the best hand at the end of the betting round. You can also bluff in order to force opponents into making mistakes, and with some luck, even a bad hand can sometimes win the pot.

To start a hand, each player puts up the ante. The dealer then deals everyone a card. The person with the highest card starts the betting. If there is a tie, the player with the higher suit wins. The suits are ranked spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs in ascending order from highest to lowest. The dealer will then announce which player has the highest hand and push the chips into the main pot. If you’re a new player, ask for help from an experienced player to learn how to deal cards.

A good strategy is to play your strong value hands aggressively. This will force opponents to call your bets and give you better odds of winning the pot. However, you should only bet and raise when your hand is ahead of your opponent’s calling range. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting money.

Another important strategy is to position yourself well in the betting clock. By playing in late position, you’ll have more information about your opponents’ hands and be able to adjust accordingly. You can also take advantage of bluffing opportunities when you’re in late position.

As the players go around in a circle, each one may choose to call, raise or fold. If you say “call,” you’ll place your bet equal to the amount that the player before you raised. If you say “raise,” you’ll put up more money than the previous player and go to the next betting round. If you want to quit the hand, you can say “fold.”

After each betting round is over, the dealer will burn a card and then turn up the top three cards in the middle of the table. Then, the players that advanced to the flop will begin the next betting round. After each player has matched the amount of the highest raise or folded, they will show their hands and the winner will be declared. If a player busts, the dealer will win the pot. If a player is all in and no one else raises, the winner will be the last remaining player. If there are multiple all-in players, the pot is split evenly amongst them. If you’re unsure how to distribute the chips, ask an experienced player to demonstrate. This is called chip management and is a crucial part of the game.