Poker is a hugely popular card game that can be played for real money or for free. It requires a wide range of skills, including discipline and perseverance. It also has a deep element of strategy that can keep you interested as you become more skilled.

The game begins with a small bet (called an ante) made by all players before a hand is dealt. This gives the pot a value right off the bat, and gives the dealer an opportunity to make sure each player has a good chance of winning.

Next, the dealer deals two cards to each player, keeping them secret from the rest of the table. When all the players are ready to act, they can choose to fold, call or raise.

If you want to improve your hand, you can discard some of the cards and add them to your hand. You can also increase your hand’s strength by putting an additional card on the board, called a kicker.

You can also fold if you’re not comfortable with your current hand’s strength or if you don’t think it will be competitive against other players. By folding, you can save yourself from losing what you’ve already bet, and let someone else take the risk of betting more.

Poker can be a lot of fun and can be played by people of all ages and abilities. Learning how to play the game is a great way to improve your social life and get some exercise, but it takes some practice to master the rules and strategies of the game.