Poker is a card game that involves betting between two or more players. It requires skill, good hand reading, and the ability to make big bluffs. The goal is to win the pot, which is the total of all the bets made during one deal. The game can be played by any number of people, although the ideal amount is six to eight. It is played on a table with chips, which are assigned values and exchanged for cash before the start of the game.
In most variants of poker, the first forced bet is an ante or a blind bet. Then the cards are dealt to each player, face up or down depending on the variation. After the deal, players can fold, call, or raise. When a player makes a call or raise, all other players must match the bet or fold. In some games, players may also check, meaning that they do not want to bet further.
The rules of poker vary from game to game, but the basics are similar in all versions of the game. A standard deck of 52 cards is used and the dealer is usually the last person to touch the cards. Players place bets with their chips, which can be any color or denomination. The game can be played with fixed limit, no-limit, or pot-limit betting. There are various side pots, and a player can win multiple hands in one deal.