Poker is an international card game in which players wager chips on the outcome of a hand based on probability, psychology and game theory. The game may be bluffed in order to increase the value of a hand, and even a weak one can win if played well. The game was first played in the sixteenth century, and by the nineteenth century it had become a popular pastime on riverboats along the Mississippi River. Today, the game is played in many countries around the world.

In most variants of the game, two cards called hole cards are dealt face down to each player, and then five community cards are revealed in three stages. After each of these stages a round of betting takes place, and the player who has the highest valued hand wins the pot. During each betting interval, players can Call, Raise or Fold. A player who bets exactly the amount of the previous player is said to Call, and a player who raises above the previous bet is said to Raise.

While it is possible to make a good hand with just two cards, a stronger hand usually includes more than two. This is especially true after the flop, when additional cards are added to the table that can greatly enhance the strength of a hand. A strong poker hand requires both luck and the ability to bluff. This skill translates to other areas of life and is often a requirement in business or other social settings.