Poker is a card game that involves betting and a lot of fun! It is played by two or more people and each player puts in a small amount of money (the minimum ante for our games is a nickel) before they see their cards. They then bet and the highest hand wins the pot.

Before you begin playing poker you should know a few things about the game. First, it is important to learn the rules of poker. This includes knowing what hands beat what and how to determine which hand wins a given situation. It is also important to understand the importance of position. Having good position gives you more information about your opponents and allows you to make better value bets.

If you have a high pair or a straight, it is often best to raise rather than call. This will help you build your chip stack and potentially win the pot. However, if you have a weak hand and you think your opponent has a good one, it is often better to fold. This will allow you to save your chips for another hand and stay in the game longer.

It is important to remember that you can only win if you have a better hand than your opponent. So, you should always keep this in mind when deciding whether to call or raise. In addition, it is important to understand that a raise means increasing the amount of money you are putting into the pot. This can be confusing for new players so it is recommended that you always say your raises loudly.