Each player puts an initial amount of money into the pot before being dealt cards. This is called the ante. This money, plus any raises or re-raises, constitutes the total amount of money bet in a given round.
When you’re a beginner, it’s important to start at lower stakes. This minimizes your financial risk and allows you to experiment with different strategies without putting too much pressure on yourself. You should also learn how to read other players. A lot of poker “reads” don’t come from subtle physical tells, but rather from patterns in how players bet and fold. If a player is extremely conservative, for example, they’re likely only playing strong hands and can be bluffed easily.
Lastly, it’s a good idea to quickly study some poker charts so you know what kinds of hands beat other types of hands. For instance, knowing that a flush beats three of a kind and a straight beats two pair is crucial. This will help you understand the strength of your own poker hands and how to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of other hands in the future. Over time, these concepts will begin to feel innate to you and will become an automatic consideration when making decisions.