Poker is a card game that involves betting, strategy and chance. Although the outcome of any particular hand largely depends on luck, players choose their actions based on expected value and other factors (such as psychology and game theory). In addition to forced bets at the start of each round, money is added to the pot by players who believe their bet has positive expected value or want to bluff other players for strategic reasons.
Before the flop, each player has two cards that are dealt face down, known as their hole cards. Three additional community cards are then dealt, referred to as the flop, followed by one more card — the turn — and finally another card, called the river. The highest five-card hand wins the pot.
A key to winning at poker is playing your strong hands as straightforwardly as possible. Don’t try to outwit your opponents by letting them think you are bluffing or by overthinking and arriving at wrong conclusions. Trying to trap your opponent will usually backfire more often than it works out for you. Instead, let your opponents make mistakes and capitalize on them.