Poker is a card game that can be played by two or more players and has the objective of winning the pot, which is the sum of all the bets made during one deal. There are a number of different poker variants, but most games involve the same basic principles. The player with the highest-ranking hand wins the pot. Players may also win by raising bets, which makes their opponents fold.

The first step to becoming a successful poker player is developing your comfort with risk-taking. It’s important to take risks sooner rather than later, and even if you don’t succeed at first, it’s okay to continue to try. Over time, you will learn how to minimize your losses and improve your chances of success.

To begin a hand of poker, the dealer shuffles the cards and the player to his right cuts. The dealer then deals each player two cards, face down, followed by the community cards being dealt in three stages – a flop, an additional card known as the turn, and a final card called the river.

Players can bet, raise, or fold their hands depending on the strength of their hand and how they think their opponents will play. A good poker player will always consider the opponent’s range, which is the whole spectrum of possible hands a player can have in that situation. Raising in position can scare weaker players into folding and force players with drawing hands that need additional cards to make a strong hand to call, especially when they are behind.