Poker is a card game that has a lot of math involved in it, especially in terms of odds and pot size. Fortunately, as you play the game more and more the numbers will become second-nature. This will allow you to keep a natural count of things like frequencies and EV estimation when playing hands.
You will start each hand by placing an amount into the pot (chips representing money) before you are dealt cards. This is called the ante. Once you have a pair of hole cards you start betting. The player to the left of you must first place a bet (called opening) before anyone else can raise.
After a certain number of betting intervals (2 or more depending on the game) the dealer deals three cards face up that everyone can use, this is called the flop. You then bet again. If the player to your right bets a large amount you can say “I call” to match their raise and put chips into the pot.
Once the betting is done a fifth card is dealt face up, this is called the river. Another round of betting ensues and then the players reveal their cards. The person with the best 5 card poker hand wins the pot. If nobody has a winning hand the dealer wins. There are many different forms of poker, and the game can be played by 2 to 14 people. Poker has a long and rich history with numerous rumors surrounding its origins.