Poker is a card game that involves betting and the use of your cards to create a hand. It has many different variations, but all share the same basic rules. The game became more popular in the early 21st century, partly because of the development of online poker and hole-card cameras that made it possible for players to see their own cards. Poker has also become a spectator sport, with broadcasts of major tournaments drawing large audiences.
In order to play poker, you will need a deck of 52 cards and a table. The card deck must be shuffled before each hand, and you should always do this several times to ensure that the cards are well mixed up. You will then need to place your bets into a pile, which is called the pot. Saying “call” means that you are placing your chips into the pot in order to match the previous player’s bet. Saying “raise” means that you are increasing the amount of money that you are putting into the pot.
Once all of the players have received their 2 cards, a round of betting begins. The first two mandatory bets, called blinds, are placed into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer in order to give everyone an incentive to play.
Once the betting is over, 3 more cards will be dealt face up on the table (called the flop). There will then be another round of betting, and the players will have to decide whether to keep their hands or fold them.