Poker is a game of cards, but it’s also a game of reading your opponents. Whether you’re playing in the World Series of Poker or just at home, it’s important to understand how the game works so that you can win more pots.

Players are dealt two cards and then bet over a series of rounds until one player wins a showdown with their poker hand. During the betting rounds, players can choose to check (pass on the betting) or raise (bet more chips than their opponent).

After the first round of betting, the dealer puts three community cards face up on the table. These are called the flop. Now the player’s luck can turn if they have a good poker hand. The flop could reveal a pair of fives or a straight.

The third round of betting starts with the dealer putting another community card on the table, called the turn. This time, the players can continue to bet or check or raise or fold.

A common mistake that new players make is to play their draws passively. When they have a strong draw, they call their opponent’s bets and hope that they will hit their cards. Instead, a better strategy is to be more aggressive with your draws and force your opponents to fold by raising. This can help you get a full house or a straight by forcing out weaker hands.