Poker is a game that is played with cards and chips. It is a skillful game that takes strategy and patience to win at.

To play poker, players buy in with a small amount of chips called an “ante.” Each player is dealt two cards and must decide whether to bet or fold. If they choose to bet, they can do so by placing chips in the pot and calling a bet from one of their opponents; they can also raise, adding more chips to the pool and increasing their chances of winning.

The best way to become a better poker player is to learn how to read your opponents. It involves understanding their eye movements, hand gestures, betting habits and other tells.

For example, if someone frequently calls and then makes a big raise, that’s a good sign that they are holding an amazing hand. You can also read them by seeing what they do with their chips, which indicates how confident they are in their hands.

Once you’ve learned how to read your opponent, you can start playing poker with confidence. This will help you to make better decisions when you’re playing and will result in more wins over the long run.