Poker is a card game where players place bets into the pot in order to win. There are a number of different forms of poker, but the basic rules are usually the same. Most games require players to put in an initial bet (called a blind or an ante) before being dealt cards. Once the betting is over, the player with the highest hand wins the pot.

If a player cannot call the bet (put in chips to call) they must “drop” (fold). This means that they will not compete for the pot until the next deal. If a player drops they will also lose any chips that they have put into the pot.

Players may raise their bets after each round of betting. However, each time they raise they must put in as many chips as the previous player. The total of all the raised bets is called the pot. The player with the best poker hand wins the pot.

The best poker hands are: Straight flush, three of a kind, four of a kind, two pairs and high card. If a player has two pairs, the higher pair wins ties. If no pairs, then the higher card breaks ties.

If a player has a good poker hand, they can bet and force weaker hands to fold. This can make the pot bigger. However, a player can also win the pot without having a good poker hand by raising often enough and scaring the other players away.