Poker is a card game in which players wager money, called chips, on the outcome of the hand. The player with the highest-ranking five-card poker hand wins the pot, which consists of all bets placed during a single betting interval. The game may be played with two to fourteen players. The game is typically fast-paced and the players often bet continuously. Players can also “check” to stay in the game without placing a bet.

There are many different poker variants, with different rules for how a hand is formed and the values of individual cards. There are also differences in the number of rounds of betting that take place and how the final showdown is conducted.

In most forms of poker, the first round of betting begins after all players have received their two hole cards. Then, depending on the game and the players’ strategies, one or more additional cards are dealt face up on the table, called the flop. Another round of betting then takes place.

Successful poker players have a wide range of psychological skills to help them perform well. For example, they are able to decipher the tells that other players display when they are trying to conceal their own emotions. This is an important skill because it allows them to focus on the emotional state of their opponents and make more informed decisions about whether or not to call their bets. Typical tells include a rapid breathing rate, sighing, a flushed face, eyes that water or blink quickly, and a hand held over the mouth to conceal a smile.