Poker is a card game that involves a significant amount of chance, but it is also a game of skill and psychology. There are many different strategies you can learn, but the most important is to have quick instincts and to know how to read the table. Practice and watch experienced players to develop these instincts.
In most games, players must first ante a small amount (the amount varies depending on the type of game). Then when betting starts, each player puts chips into a pot in the center of the table. Once the betting gets to you, you can say “call” if you want to bet the same as the person before you or “raise” if you think your hand is better than theirs and you want to put in more money.
You can also “drop” if you don’t want to put any chips into the pot or if you are afraid of losing too much. But be careful, as it is often strategically unwise to drop when you have a good chance of winning.
When you are in the betting position, try to guess what the other players have in their hands. You can usually do this by analyzing the cards on the table. For example, if you see a pair of 2s on the flop, it’s likely that someone has two of a kind. In general, you should never bet if you don’t think you have a good enough hand.