Poker is a game that requires luck, skill, and timing. It can be very addictive! In order to improve you must spend time practicing, and watching the games of more experienced players. This will help you develop good instincts and avoid making costly mistakes. In addition, analyzing your own gameplay (using hand history tracking software or taking notes) will help you identify areas of improvement and optimize your decisions.
At the beginning of each hand you must ante some amount (typically a small amount, e.g. a nickel) to get your cards. Once everyone has their cards there is a round of betting (the antes are the mandatory bets put into the pot by the two players to your left).
Once that bet-round is complete the dealer puts three cards face up on the table that anyone can use. This is called the flop.
After the flop there is another round of betting. At the end of this the player with the best five card poker hand wins the pot.
If you want to stay in a hand with someone else who has bet and raised you can say “call” or “I call” to match their stake. You can also raise your own stake at any point in a hand. Increasing your bet will make it harder for your opponent to call, and will allow you to build an even bigger poker hand. Eventually, the math you learn in training videos and on poker software will become second nature and you will be able to count your outs naturally during a hand.