Poker is a card game played between two or more players and aims to win the pot (money or chips) by having the highest-ranking poker hand at the end of the betting process. There are a wide variety of different poker games, but the basic principle remains the same: players place their chips into the pot in turn and according to the rules of the particular poker variant being played.

The first round of betting, known as the pre-flop stage, involves placing chips into the pot in turn after each player has acted. When the betting comes to your turn, you can choose to either call the bet made by the player before you, or raise it by adding more money to the pot yourself. To do this you will need to say “call” or “I call” to indicate that you wish to match the amount of money that the person before you has placed in the pot.

Many novice players tend to underplay their hands and check when they should be raising. This makes them vulnerable to strong hands that will beat them when the flop, turn and river are dealt, such as a pair of Kings or Queens. It’s best to bet aggressively in the early stages of the hand, so that you push weaker holdings out or force them to bluff in order to stay in the hand. This is one of the main poker tips that will make you a better player.