The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game played between two or more players and involves betting. It is a game of chance, but there are also elements of skill and knowledge of probability and game theory. Skilled players tend to win more money than less-skilled ones over the long run of rounds and games.

At a poker table, each player “buys in” by placing chips into the pot, with one or more of these chips representing forced bets (ante or blind). The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals them to the players, one at a time, beginning with the player on their left. Depending on the variant being played, some or all of the cards may be dealt face-up or face-down. There are then several betting intervals, or rounds.

As the round progresses, each player must decide whether to call (match or exceed the amount of the previous bet) the bet or to raise (better their hand). If a player does not have a good hand, they must fold. If they do not, they forfeit any chips that have already been put into the pot.

Poker is often played with poker chips, which are typically of different colours and values. For example, a white chip is worth a minimum ante or bet; a red chip is worth five whites; and a blue chip is worth 10 whites. This makes it easy to know how many chips a player has in the pot at any point in the game.