Poker is a card game that requires quick instincts and the ability to read your opponents. It can be a mentally intensive game and you should only play it when you feel well-rested. If you begin to feel tired or frustrated, stop the game right away. You’ll save yourself a lot of money in the long run by doing so.

Poker games are almost always played with chips, and there is usually a minimum ante or blind bet required for players to make. The smallest-valued chip is called the white and is worth one unit, or the minimum ante/blind bet; red chips are five units each; and blue chips are 10 or 20 units. Each player purchases a set of chips, or “buys in.” Often, the dealer shuffles the cards and then deals each player a hand.

After the first betting round, or the flop, the dealer deals three more cards face-up on the table that anyone can use. This is called the turn. During the third betting round, the community cards are revealed and players begin to decide how their hands should progress.

Depending on how the community cards develop during the third and fourth betting rounds, a player can have a high or low poker hand. A high poker hand is made up of three matching cards of the same rank; a low poker hand has two unmatched cards of different ranks. Typically, the higher the poker hand is, the more it will be worth.