Poker is a card game played by two or more players and involves betting. The object of the game is to win the pot (the sum of the bets made by all players). A hand must consist of at least five cards. Poker is a game of chance, but skill can improve a player’s long term winning chances. Skill is based on a combination of poker knowledge, psychology, and game theory.
There are many variants of poker, but all share certain essential features. The basic game consists of an ante and a pot, with players placing bets into the pot in turn. Each bet must be at least as large as the previous player’s bet or a player may “raise” by adding more chips to the pot. A player may also choose to drop (fold), in which case they forfeit any money that they have put into the pot and their hand is dead.
The highest hand wins the pot. Typical high hands are pairs, three of a kind, four of a kind, straights and flushes. In some games, the highest card breaks ties.
Most poker games require a minimum bet, typically one white chip, and a maximum bet of five red chips. In some games, a player may bet any number of chips in a betting interval. Players may also raise the bet by putting in more than they have, but must call any bet that is raised.