The game of poker is a form of gambling where players wager chips (representing money) against each other. There are several different games of poker but they all share the same basic structure. After each player has a set number of cards they place them into a pot in the middle of the table and then bet against each other. The player with the best hand wins the pot.
One of the key things to remember is that poker is a game of chance as well as a game of skill and psychology. If you don’t believe this, look at all of the top professional players and you will see that they work very hard at both aspects of the game.
Another thing to remember is that a large part of poker success is learning how to read your opponents. This can be done by observing the way they play their hands, not so much for subtle physical poker “tells” but more for their betting patterns. For example if a player is constantly calling or raising then they are probably playing some pretty weak cards. Conversely if a player folds most of the time they are likely playing strong hands.
It is also important to only gamble with money you are willing to lose and to track your wins and losses so that you can see how profitable (or not) the game is for you. And finally, always remember to have fun.