Poker is a card game played with chips that represent money. Each player buys in for a certain number of chips, and then there are one or more betting rounds according to the rules of the particular poker variant being played. The first player to bet puts in enough chips to cover the minimum ante and, depending on the rules of the game, can raise or fold.
Once the first betting round is complete, the dealer deals three cards face up on the table that everyone can use. These are called the flop. After the flop there is another round of betting, and once again you can raise or fold. Finally the dealer adds a final card that everyone can use, known as the river.
The best five-card poker hand wins the pot. There are some exceptions to this rule, however: a flush beats a straight, and a three of a kind beats two pair. In addition, if you have a pair of the same rank, then the higher ranking card determines the winning hand.
As a beginner it is important to play tight in early positions and only open strong hands. This forces weaker players out of the hand, and makes it more difficult for them to make a good hand. In late positions you can play a wider range of hands, but the most important thing is to be aggressive. The divide between break-even beginner players and big-time winners is not as wide as many people think, and it has a lot to do with learning to view poker in a cold, detached, mathematical, and logical way rather than an emotional and superstitious one.