Poker is a card game played between two or more players and involves betting. While there is some element of chance involved in a particular hand, the long run expectations of the players are determined by their actions chosen on the basis of probability, psychology and game theory.

The cards are shuffled and each player is dealt five cards, face down. They must choose two of their cards to use in a best five-card poker hand. The remaining cards are placed face up on the table and anyone can bet on them. The highest hand wins the pot.

A pair is two cards of the same rank. A three of a kind is 3 matching cards of the same rank. A straight is five consecutive cards of the same suit. A flush is five matching cards in one suit, like a straight but with more than one suit. A full house is 3 matching cards of one rank and 2 matching cards of another rank.

If you have a good pocket pair of kings but the flop is A-8-5 then your pocket kings aren’t going to make it. The ace on the flop indicates that the board has tons of flush and straight cards and you should be wary no matter how good your pockets are. Keep practicing and watching experienced players to develop quick instincts. As you learn the game you’ll find that poker math, such as frequencies and expected value (EV), will become ingrained in your thinking.