Poker is a card game in which players wager chips (representing money) on the outcome of a single hand. The game varies in its rules and strategy, but the basic principles are the same: each player has two private cards called hole cards and five community cards known as the flop. Players make bets and fold in turn, attempting to create the best five-card hand from their own two and the shared community cards. Bets are made on the basis of expectation, probability, psychology and game theory.
Depending on the rules of the particular variant, one or more players are required to place an initial amount of money into the pot before the cards are dealt. This is called a forced bet and may take the form of an ante or blind bet, or both. After the forced bets have been placed, the dealer shuffles the cards and deals them to each player in turn, beginning with the player to their left. Depending on the rules, the players may choose to draw replacement cards for the ones in their hand.
It is important to respect the dealers and not give them a hard time when they make mistakes. While this is inevitable, there’s no reason to argue with them because it will not help you in any way. If you notice a mistake, politely explain what happened to the dealer and ask them to correct it.