Poker is a game of chance and risk where players bet chips and either win the pot or lose it all. It has dozens of variations, but the basic rules remain the same. Players put in an initial amount of money, called a blind or an ante, and then are dealt cards that they keep hidden from the other players.

When a player says “raise” they add more money to the betting pool. The other players can choose to call the raise or fold. The player who has the highest ranked hand of cards at the end of the round wins the pot, or all the money that was bet during that particular hand.

Limping into a pot from late position is generally a bad idea. If your opponents know you’re limping, they can easily exploit your hand by calling with mediocre hands to get value from a flop.

A good poker player needs to be able to read their opponents. This isn’t just about subtle physical poker tells, like scratching your nose or playing nervously with your chips, but more about understanding the patterns of their play. For example, if a player is folding all the time then they likely have crappy cards. By paying attention to these sorts of patterns you can develop quick poker instincts and improve your game. There are plenty of poker training tools available that can help you learn these skills and become a better player.