In poker, players compete against one another for a pot of money (representing chips) by betting on the cards they have in their hands. The game can be played with as few as two people or many more. Each player is dealt two cards and then has the option to make a five-card hand using those cards plus the community cards. After betting, the players show their hands and the player with the best hand wins.

A considerable amount of skill is required in poker, and it is possible to win a lot of money without having the strongest or most valuable hand. Poker also involves learning about the other players’ betting habits and reading their tells, which are nervous facial expressions and body language that reveal when a player is bluffing.

To play poker, each player must first “buy in” by placing a bet, called an ante or a blind bet. The dealer then shuffles and deals the cards, beginning with the player to his or her left. The cards may be dealt either face-up or face-down, depending on the poker variant being played. During each betting interval, one player must place into the pot at least as many chips as the player to his or her left.

The game of poker has evolved from a simple card game to a complex strategy game. While luck does play a role in poker, the decisions made by players are based on mathematics, psychology, and game theory.