Poker is a card game that can be played by two or more players and involves betting on the strength of your hand. The object is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made during one deal. A high-ranking poker hand usually wins the pot, but you can also bluff to win the pot with weaker hands.
The name of the game derives from its English-language equivalent, póker, from the Dutch word póker, meaning “to plop” or “deal.” This is because players place chips in a central circle called the pot to bet on their hands.
There are many different forms of the game, and each has its own rules. However, most poker games involve five cards and a common ranking system. A high-ranking poker hand typically includes a straight or flush, but you can also make a full house with three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank, or a pair.
A player wishing to stay in the pot must raise his stake equal to the amount raised by the last player. If he cannot do this, he must fold.
One of the most important skills in poker is reading your opponents’ body language and telling when they are bluffing. This skill, known as table talk or tells, can help you decide whether to call a bet or raise your own. In addition to table talk, a good poker player must be able to read his opponent’s facial expressions.