Poker is a card game that is played by two or more people. It is a card game in which players wager money, or chips, against one another and the dealer. The player who has the best hand wins the pot. There are a number of variants of poker, and rules vary slightly between them. However, the game is generally played with the same basic rules.
A player must place a bet in the pot, which represents the money for which he is competing, before he can make his move. This is done by raising, calling, or folding. Folding means letting go of a hand and forfeiting any bets made on it so far. Calling means placing a bet equal to the one made by the player before you. Raising is putting up a larger amount than the player before you.
If a player has a strong opening hand, like pocket Kings or Queens, then they should bet aggressively to take control of the table right from the start. This is especially important when playing at a 6-max or full tables. Weaker players often check when they should be betting, or call when they should raise. Stronger players are often more tolerant of these mistakes, and will exploit them to their advantage.
It takes time to become good at poker, but with a reasonable level of dedication most people can achieve success in the lower stakes within a few months. The learning curve gets steeper as you move up the stakes, and it can sometimes take years to reach the mid and high stakes levels.