The Basics of Poker

Poker is a game of betting where the goal is to win the pot, which is the total amount of bets made during any deal. Unlike some other card games, there is significant skill involved in this game, especially when it comes to making bets with strong hands and minimizing losses with weak ones.

The number of players in a poker game is usually limited to six or seven. Each player must have at least 200 chips, called “whites,” which are worth one unit of money for each bet. Other colored chips are also used, such as blues and reds, each of which is worth a certain number of whites. Players may have to purchase more than 200 chips if the group wants to play at a higher stake.

During the game, players place their chips into a pot, which is then passed to the next person in turn. When it is your turn to act, you may choose to raise the pot by saying “raise.” You must maintain your raised position until someone else calls your bet or folds their hand.

In general, it is a good idea to mix up your tactics, as you can keep opponents guessing what you have. If your opponents always know what you have, they will be much less likely to call your bluffs and will often fold even when they have the best possible hands. This way, you can increase your bluffing frequency and win bigger pots when you do have the best of it.