Poker is a card game that is played with chips. These chips can be a variety of colors and have specific values assigned to them by the dealer prior to the start of play. Players exchange cash for these chips during the game and they are used to make betting decisions.

During a betting interval, a player can say “I open” to raise the amount that they are willing to put into the pot. Their opponents can then choose to call the new bet, raise their own bet or simply check. If a player checks, they are out of the betting and may not compete for the pot.

Once the betting is done, the players reveal their cards and whoever has the best hand wins the pot. Some variants of the game also include a draw phase and a showdown.

It’s important to understand your opponent’s tendencies to be a better poker player. For example, conservative players will often fold their cards early and can be easily bluffed. Aggressive players, on the other hand, will likely make high bets early in a hand and can be prone to overestimating their own strength. You can identify these players by watching their body language and observing their betting patterns.