Poker is a gambling game in which players bet on the value of their cards. It’s a skill-based game that requires patience, perseverance and mental toughness.

The game begins with all players making an ante (a small amount of money). Before the deal, each player is dealt two cards, which are kept secret from other players. The dealer “burns” one card from the top of the deck and then deals three community cards, also known as the flop.

When the flop is dealt, betting rounds begin. A player can fold, call or raise a bet.

A hand is considered a winner when it beats the other players’ hands. The best hand is called a full house, which is made up of three of a kind and a pair.

Another important hand is a straight, which is five consecutive cards in any suit. It beats a flush, which is any five cards in any suit.

Typical winning hands are flushes, straights and two pairs. The rank of standard poker hands is determined by their odds, which are based on the probability that a hand can be improved by any combination of the other two cards in the hand.

It is common for a player to have a bad hand at the beginning of the game, but it is important not to let that discourage you. Watch how professional poker players handle losing hands, and pay attention to their reactions. You’ll see that they don’t get upset or display negative emotions.