Poker is a card game where the object is to form a high-ranking hand based on your cards and then win the pot, which is the total of all bets placed in a given round. There are many variations of the game, but the ideal number of players for a poker game is 6, 7, or 8.
Some forms of poker require each player to make forced bets, called an ante or blind bet. After a player places their antes or blind bets, they are dealt cards face up by the dealer. Then, depending on the rules of the game, there are usually several betting rounds. During each betting round, the players can choose to call (put in as many chips as the previous player), raise (put in more than the other players and thus become the new chip leader) or drop (fold their hand).
Professional players are very sensitive to their opponents’ tells, involuntary gestures like darting of the eyes, touch on the face, obsessive peeking at good/bad cards or the stack, twitching of the eyebrows, a change in the timbre of the voice… basically anything that telegraphs anxiety or excitement. By observing these tells and comparing them to your own, you can often accurately read the other players’ hands.
Practice playing and watch experienced players to develop quick instincts. If you’re too slow to make decisions, you’ll never get paid off on your big hands and your bluffs won’t work.