Poker is a card game played by two or more players. It can be played in a variety of ways, but most involve betting and a central pot. Players must place forced bets, called the blind and ante, before being dealt cards. After a player has a strong hand, they can then raise or call any bets made by other players.

Saying “call” means that you want to match the last player’s bet and then put chips or cash in the pot. This will allow you to see the flop and make more informed decisions about your next moves.

It is important to learn the basic rules of poker and how to read a table. This will help you understand what other players are doing, and how to play a good poker game. You should also try to read poker strategy books or online articles. If you can, find other winning players and talk with them about the hands that they are playing. This will allow you to compare different strategies and see how winning players think about difficult situations.

Beginners should start by playing tight and avoid playing crazy hands. They should only play the top 20% of hands in a six-player game and 15% of hands in a ten-player game. They should also study push-fold charts, which are solved ranges of possible poker hands.