Poker is a card game played by two or more players with chips (representing money) in which the object is to make the best five-card hand. Each player starts with two cards dealt face down and then makes a bet, called a raise, or calls. Players must place their bets according to the rules of the poker variant being played. Each player may also bluff, betting that they have a strong hand while attempting to induce opponents to call the bet and concede the hand.

A good poker player needs several skills in addition to discipline and perseverance. They need to be able to read their opponents well, and learn from their mistakes. They should also be able to make smart decisions about game selection, so that they participate in profitable games. Finally, they must be able to take risks and not get discouraged when they lose money.

One of the most important things to remember about poker is that the value of a hand is determined in inverse proportion to its mathematical frequency. The rarer the combination of cards, the more valuable the hand. Another key factor in poker is knowing how to read the other players, a skill known as tells. There are countless books written about this subject, and everyone from psychologists to law enforcement officials have spoken about how important it is to be able to read facial expressions and other body language. In poker, the ability to read tells is heightened by paying attention to the way that other players handle their cards and how they move around the table.