Poker is an exciting card game played by 2 or more players with a set of 7 cards. Before the cards are dealt, each player must place an initial amount into the pot (these are called forced bets). This can come in the form of ante, blinds, or bring-ins.

In poker, the goal is to maximise your winning hands while minimising your losses from losing ones. This is known as GTO strategy and is the most profitable way to play poker. However, poker is still a game of chance and you will be dealt both winning and losing hands. To minimise your losses, you need to make the best possible decisions when you are not holding a good hand.

To do this, you need to read your opponents. This is a skill that takes time to master, and requires an eye for subtle details like mood shifts, body language, and the length of time it takes to act. In addition to this, you must also be able to read the betting pattern of your opponents.

After each round of betting, players take turns revealing their cards. The player with the best hand wins the pot. A player may choose not to reveal their hand, but this will result in them being out of the round. Players can also raise the amount of money they bet, called raising. They can say “I call” to match the amount that the person to their right raised, or “I raise” to increase their bet.