Poker is a card game played by two or more players. The object is to have the best five-card poker hand at the end of a betting round. The player who has the highest-ranking hand wins the pot, which consists of all bets placed by players during that round.
There are many different forms of poker, but they all share some basic characteristics. The game is almost always played with chips – usually white, but sometimes colored – that are worth specific amounts. A white chip is worth the minimum ante, for example; a red chip is worth twice that amount; and so on. At the beginning of a round, each player places down a number of chips equal to their total bet. This is called “buying in”.
When the cards are dealt, the players take turns revealing their hands and betting on them. Each bet made is called a “call” or “raise”. A player may also choose to check, meaning that they will not bet and allow their opponents to act first.
Although the outcome of any individual hand involves a significant amount of luck, over time skill can eliminate this element and make the game more profitable for a player. In addition to this, poker can be a fun and social activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Some people have even found ways to make money from poker, such as by running tournaments.