Poker is a card game in which players place chips (representing money) into a pot before being dealt cards. The goal is to win the pot by having a higher-ranking poker hand than your opponents. There are many different forms of poker, and the rules vary by game. However, the basic principle remains the same: players bet chips and can win or lose them depending on their luck and skill.
Each player must place a certain amount of chips in the pot during each betting interval, as determined by the rules of the specific poker variant being played. Players can also “check,” meaning that they pass their turn to act without putting any chips into the pot.
In poker, late positions are often better than early ones, because they allow you to manipulate the betting on later streets. As such, you should try to play a wider range of hands from late positions, and avoid calling re-raises with weak or marginal hands.
The more you play and watch others play, the quicker your instincts will develop. Observe how other players react and imagine how you would respond in the same situation, to help build your own style of playing. This will help you develop a system that works for you rather than trying to memorize a bunch of complicated systems. You can also practice by reading books and watching videos of professionals in action to get a feel for how they play the game.