Poker is a card game where players wager money against one another. It is a game of chance, but can also involve skill and psychology. Players make decisions at the table based on their perception of other player’s actions and their own chances of having a good hand.

Before playing a hand of poker, the player to the dealer’s left posts a “blind” (forced bet) and then places chips into the pot. These chips represent real money and are placed to create a pot from which the best hand wins. Players may choose to call, check, raise or fold their hands after the blinds have been posted.

Each player is dealt cards from a standard 52-card deck. The cards are arranged in a circle and then players begin betting. Each player must place the same number of chips in the pot as the player to their immediate right. If a player wants to bet more than the player to their immediate right, they must say “raise” and then place the additional amount into the pot.

A player’s turn ends when he either calls the last player’s bet or folds his hand. If a player does not want to reveal his or her hand, they must say “drop” or “fold”. If no player raises during the betting phase, the highest hand wins the pot. Players can also decide to put all their remaining chips into the pot, which is called an “all-in”. This requires special rules depending on the variant of poker being played.