Poker is a card game in which players bet on the strength of their cards. In some variants, the highest-ranking hand wins the pot. In others, the winner is determined by the rank of the next-highest card in the hand.

Before a hand is dealt, each player must place an amount of money into the pot called an “ante,” a blind, or bring-in. In addition, depending on the rules of a particular game, one player may have the privilege or obligation to make a forced bet (called a “button”). If that player raises the bet by at least the same number of chips as the player before them, other players must either call the bet or fold.

A good poker player knows how to balance their bluffs and know the range of hands that will beat them. They should also understand how to read the game, including how other players are betting and how they are playing their cards.

There are many variations of the game, but most involve five cards for each player. In some cases, the players will discard their cards and draw new ones before a showdown where each player shows their hand. The player with the best hand wins the pot, or the aggregate of all bets in a given deal. The game may be played by two to 14 people. In games with more than 10 players, the cards are usually reshuffled after each bet and cut several times before a hand is dealt.