Poker is a card game where players compete for an amount of money or chips contributed by each player (called the pot). The game may involve multiple rounds of betting, in which each player has the opportunity to call, raise, or fold. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot.

The cards are shuffled and dealt face up to each player, one at a time starting with the player on their right. Depending on the variation of poker, some or all players are required to make forced bets prior to being dealt their cards, which are called the blinds. These bets are either in addition to the ante or replace it, and they must be made before the player can check, fold, or make an all-in bet.

A player may win the pot by betting his or her entire remaining stack, a move known as going all-in. The other players then have the option to call, raise, or fold. The raise must be equal to the total stake so far staked by the previous player. This is called equalization.

A player’s success at poker depends on his or her ability to read the other players’ behavior and make decisions accordingly. This includes examining their betting patterns, reading tells (subtle body language cues), and understanding the concepts of pot odds and expected value, which are ratios that indicate how much a decision will profit or lose over time.