Poker is a card game in which players bet into a common pot based on the strength of their hand. The highest hand wins the pot. The game can be played with any number of players, but it is best when there are five or more players. The game is a mixture of chance and skill, with the more skilled players usually winning in the long run.

Before the cards are dealt, each player must place an initial amount into the pot (the amount varies by game). These forced bets are called antes or blinds and may only be raised a certain number of times per betting round. Players then bet into the common pot based on their cards and their perceived strengths of their opponents’ hands.

The dealer shuffles the cards and then passes them out in rotation to the players one at a time. The first player to receive a card becomes the dealer, with the turn to deal and the turn to bet passing clockwise from there. Ties are broken with a repeat deal.

When betting starts, each player must decide whether to call a raise by an opponent or fold their cards. This decision is based on their own knowledge of the probability and psychology of poker, as well as their perceived strength of their opponents’ hands. This combination of knowledge and strategy allows good poker players to accurately predict their opponents’ calls and folds in order to make profitable long term decisions.