Poker is a card game played with two or more people and a standard deck of 52 cards. A hand is won by having the highest ranking cards, sometimes including wild cards (jokers). There are different rules for each variant of the game. In general, players wager money against one another in a “pot,” or the sum of all bets made during the course of a deal.

There are many forms of poker, but the ideal number of players is six to eight. The game is generally played with a fixed number of chips, called “blinds” or “antes.” The blinds and antes are placed into the pot before each hand begins. When a player is dealt a hand, they may call, fold or raise.

A poker dealer is responsible for distributing chips to the main pot and any side pots that are created. They also ensure that players are acting in accordance with gameplay etiquette. If a player appears to be acting out of turn, the poker dealer should pipe up quickly and warn them.

It is important to be able to read other players’ behavior. This includes watching for tells, which are nervous habits that give away a person’s hand. It is also crucial to understand how to play your own hand well. If opponents always know what you have, it will be impossible to get paid off on your big hands and your bluffs will never make it through.