Poker is a card game played by two or more players. Each player has two personal cards, and the dealer deals five community cards on the table. A winning hand is made up of five consecutive cards of the same suit, or four of a kind.

While chance plays a large role in the outcome of any particular poker hand, it is the player’s decisions that ultimately determine the amount of money he or she wins. These decisions are based on the principles of probability, psychology and game theory.

A good poker player is one who can read the other players. This requires paying attention to subtle physical poker tells, and analyzing the way that other players are betting. For example, if someone is scratching their nose or playing nervously with their chips it is likely that they are holding a weak hand.

After the initial betting round is over, the dealer “burns” a card and then deals the first three community cards face up on the table (the flop). The player to the left of the big blind acts first, and can choose to fold, call or raise his or her bet.

It is best to play your hands aggressively, even if you aren’t sure that you have the strongest of hands. This will force other players to put more money into the pot, and can help you win more money. However, be careful not to be overly aggressive, as this can lead to bad decisions.