Poker is a card game that requires strategic thinking and quick decision-making. It is a game that can be very profitable, and is also a great way to improve your social skills. In addition, the cognitive skills developed by playing poker – such as critical analysis and mathematical reasoning – can have a positive impact on other areas of life, from work to personal relationships.

Each player begins the game with a set number of chips, representing money, and places them in the center of the table (the pot). A dealer then shuffles the cards and deals them to the players one at a time, beginning with the player to their left. Each player may choose to call, raise, or fold.

Once all players have their two hole cards, the first round of betting begins. During this betting phase, the players can only win the pot if they have a qualifying hand. A qualifying hand contains 3 matching cards of a rank, or 2 matching cards and a pair.

After the initial round of betting, a fourth community card is dealt. This is called the flop. After the flop, another round of betting commences. During this phase, players can bet again by placing additional chips into the pot, calling a previous player’s bet, or raising. During this phase, players can also inflate the pot size with strong value hands to maximize their profits. Likewise, weak hands can be protected by exercising pot control.