Poker is a card game in which players place chips (representing money) into the pot before each round of betting. Players may also be required to make a forced bet, such as an ante or blind bet, depending on the rules of the game being played.

A good poker player has a good understanding of the game with all its variants, and knows how to read his opponents. This includes watching for tells, which are nervous habits and signals that a player is holding a strong hand or bluffing. Beginners need to practice their observation skills and focus on the reactions of the other players during a hand.

Another tip for beginners is to play their strong value hands straightforwardly, rather than trying to outwit or trap their opponents. This means betting and raising often when they expect their hand to be ahead of the calling range of their opponent. It is also important to push weaker hands out of the pot as early as possible, so that you can increase the payout of your strong hands.

To add money to the pot, say “call” or “I call.” If the person to your left just bet $10, then you would match their bet by saying “call.” You can also raise the amount of your own bet by saying “raise,” or simply increase the size of your existing bet by a specified percentage. If you don’t want to raise, you can say “fold,” which means you will drop your cards into the pot without adding any money to the pot.