Poker is a card game in which players place bets on their hand of five cards. The player with the highest hand wins the pot. There are many different variations of the game but they all share similar rules. Players put in a small blind and ante before they are dealt cards. These are forced bets that help keep the action moving and give players something to chase. When it is your turn to bet you can say “call” or just put in a bet equal to the last bet.
Before the first betting round is complete the dealer puts three community cards on the table face up called the flop. This gives everyone else a chance to check/raise/fold. After the flop betting round is over the dealer puts one more community card on the table which anyone can use, this is called the river. After the river betting round is over players reveal their hands and the highest ranked hand wins the pot.
It is impossible to predict what hand will win in any given situation. However, there are some hands that tend to win more often than others. For example, pocket kings or queens are strong hands but an ace on the flop can spell doom for them. Also if the board is full of flush and straight cards you should be very wary no matter how good your pocket hand is. Practice and watch experienced players to develop quick instincts.