Poker is a card game played between two or more players and involves betting. Players can check (pass on betting), call, raise or fold during a hand. Each round of betting adds more chips to an ever-growing pot, which is the sum total of all bets placed during that hand. The player who holds the highest ranked hand when all bets are made wins the pot.

A hand consists of 5 cards and can be of any suit. A straight contains 5 consecutive cards of the same rank and a flush is any five cards of the same suit. The best hand is a Royal flush, consisting of three of a kind and two pair.

In the beginning of a game, each player buys in for an initial amount of money or chips. Depending on the variant of the game, this may be called an ante, blind or bring-in.

Maria believes that poker helps develop a healthy sense of risk and can teach people to make tough decisions effectively. But she also emphasizes that it is important to only play with money you are comfortable losing. If you are worried about a loss, it can negatively impact your decision-making process.

She recommends that beginners start by playing small stakes games at home or in friendly tournaments before moving on to higher-stakes tables. It’s also a good idea to practice your strategy by going over past hands and discussing them with others for an objective look at your strengths and weaknesses.