Poker is a card game played with chips and usually involves a minimum of two players. The cards are dealt by the dealer and the players place bets on their hands. The objective of the game is to have a hand with a high value. There are many different poker variants, but they all have some similarities.
A player may open the betting by saying “I open”. This means that you are willing to raise your bet by an amount equal to or greater than the minimum ante. You can also say “check” to remain silent and not put up any chips.
After the players receive their 2 hole cards, there is a round of betting. The player to the left of the dealer puts up a mandatory bet called blinds which is usually twice the amount of the ante.
Some games have a special fund called the kitty which is used to pay for things like new decks of cards or food and drinks. The kitty is built up by “cutting” one low-denomination chip from each pot in which there has been more than one raise. Unlike some other card games, the kitty belongs to all the players equally and is not lost when a player leaves before the end of a game.
The best way to learn to play poker is by watching experienced players and learning their tells. Observe how they react to situations and think about how you would behave in similar situations to develop quick instincts.