A game of poker involves using the cards you’re dealt to create a winning hand. There are many different kinds of poker, but all share some basic rules.

Each player must put up an initial amount of money into the pot, called an ante or blind. This is to ensure that players have a financial incentive to participate in the game. Then, after each round, the dealer will shuffle the deck and deal out 5 new cards to each player. These cards are known as the community cards. Each player then tries to use these cards to make the best five-card poker hand they can.

During each betting phase, players take turns clockwise around the table revealing their hands. If they don’t reveal their hand, they cannot win the pot.

The highest hand in poker is the Royal Flush, which consists of 10s, Js, Qs and Ks in the same suit. The second highest is the Straight Flush, which consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit. The third highest is a Two Pair, which contains two distinct pairs of cards. High Card breaks ties in case no one has any of the above hands.

The top players in the world are able to play fast with strong hands. This helps them to build the pot and chase off other players who may be holding a better hand. They also know how to read their opponents and are able to pick up on tells when playing online.