Poker is played with a card deck in one or more betting intervals (according to the specific poker variant being played). The object of the game is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made during any particular deal. The pot may be won by the player with the highest-ranking hand, or by a single bet that no other players call.
Learn to read tells in the players around you. Watch how they buy their chips; do they do it with a loud, flamboyant act or quietly? A sloppy chip stack usually means a sloppy poker game. Pay attention to their eyes and faces as well, a throbbing vain in the neck or head is a tell that they’re about to make a big move. A full, ear to ear, relaxed smile is another good tell. Glancing intensely at the flop and then looking out of the corner of the eye at players is another sign that they’re about to bet.
Beware of haters who want to sabotage your poker experience. It’s no fun to play with people who are always complaining about bad beats and how unlucky they are. It’s also not cool to disrespect dealers or talk trash about a rival player. Those type of things ruin the fun for everyone at the table. Besides, it’s unfair to the dealer who is dealing the cards. Those types of actions can result in being banned from the game.