Poker is a card game that involves betting. There are many variations of the game and each variation has different rules, but the basics of poker are the same across all of them. The game starts with players placing a blind bet or an ante and then being dealt cards. Players keep these cards secret from each other.
When the dealer deals three cards face up on the table this is known as the flop. Then there is another round of betting. If you have a strong hand you should raise on the flop to force out other hands. This is called fast-playing your hand and top players do it because it allows them to build the pot and increase the value of their hand.
Whenever you play poker, pay close attention to the other players at your table. A large amount of poker reads come not from subtle physical tells, but rather from patterns in betting behavior. If a player is always folding then they likely have very weak hands and are not going to be raising too much. However, if a player is constantly calling then they are probably holding decent hands and are trying to price out the bad ones.
The best way to improve your poker skills is to practice. A great place to start is by playing with some friends who are also interested in the game. This will give you a chance to learn from other people while having fun with friends.