When you play poker, the main goal is to form a good hand based on card rankings and win the pot, which is the total amount of bets made by the players. In order to win the pot, you must have the highest-ranking hand at the end of each betting round. A good strategy can help you maximize your chances of winning by making your opponents call more of your bets when you have a strong hand and by using deceptive plays like slow-playing to induce weaker hands into calling your bets.
After each player receives two cards, a round of betting begins. The first player to the left of the button must post a small blind and the player to his or her immediate right must post a big blind, which are mandatory bets that help fund the pot. This first betting round is referred to as the flop.
A strong hand consists of three matching cards of one rank or two distinct pairs of cards plus one unmatched card. A flush consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit. A straight consists of 5 cards that skip around in rank but are from the same suit. A four of a kind consists of four matching cards of one rank. High card breaks ties. In some games, there is a dedicated dealer who deals the cards and starts each hand. In other games, the dealer is rotated among the players.