Poker is a card game where players bet chips (representing money) to win the pot. Depending on the variant being played, one player is designated to place the first bet and each subsequent player must either call or raise this amount. Ultimately, the player with the highest ranked hand of cards wins the pot.
Ideally, you should be able to read your opponents and understand their tells. This includes their eye movements, idiosyncrasies, betting behavior and more. For example, if you are facing a player who calls often and then all of a sudden raises their bet size significantly, they may be holding a strong hand.
A strong poker hand consists of either 3 matching cards of the same rank or 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. In addition to the 3 or 5 of a kind there is also pair (two cards of the same rank plus two unmatched cards), straight, flush and more.
When playing poker it is important to play aggressively. This is because it is very easy for weaker hands to be beaten by stronger ones when you check or call instead of raising. It is also important to understand the concept of position and try to avoid early positions if possible since they give your opponents the opportunity to manipulate the pot on later betting streets. This gives them a better chance to make money and you can maximize your own chances of winning by playing aggressively from late positions.