Poker is a card game where players compete to make the best 5-card hand. Each player is dealt two cards. A player may then fold his or her hand. The remaining players then reveal their hands and the winner is determined. Players can also bet during this phase, which is called the Showdown phase.
If a player has a good poker hand, they can say “raise” to add more money to the pot. This will make it more difficult for other players to call the bet, and can help you win a bigger pot.
You can also say “call” if you want to put up the same amount as someone else. If you think your poker hand is stronger than the other player’s, you can raise instead of calling to force them out of the pot.
When you’re a newbie, it’s natural to feel like you have no chance of winning a hand, but as you get more experience and improve your poker knowledge, you’ll learn when to be aggressive. Many beginner players are too passive and end up losing big pots by underplaying their poker hands.
There are a lot of different poker courses you can take online. Some of them are free, while others cost a bit of money. Some are more practical than others, but they all have one thing in common: they’ll teach you the basics of poker. They will also give you an understanding of what your odds are when playing a hand, and how to calculate your EV (expected value). This knowledge will help you play better poker.