Poker is a card game in which players bet chips into a communal pot. The object is to have the best five-card hand at the end of the game.

The players act in turn, in clockwise rotation (acting out of turn can negatively affect other players). To open is to make the first bet; to call is to match the highest bet made so far; to fold is to drop out of the hand.

A betting round ends when all active players have bet an equal amount, and no other player calls the previous high bet. The last player to act has the right to re-open or re-raise, in which case the bets of all other players are combined and paid off.

In addition to the rules of the particular variant, there are also a number of general principles for playing poker:

Be conservative and aggressive.

To be a good poker player you must be both. A conservative player will usually fold early and only stay in a hand when their cards are good.

Aggressive players are risk-takers that often bet high before seeing how the other players are acting on their cards.

Practice and watch other players play to develop quick instincts.

Keep a journal of your hand and betting patterns.

Learn to recognize the tells of other players, including the timing they take to make a decision and their sizing.

Identifying the tells of other players can help you win more often. For example, a player who has been calling all night but suddenly raises hugely is probably holding an unbeatable hand.