Poker is a card game played for money or as part of an organized tournament. It involves both luck and skill, and can be a fun way to socialize with friends. There are many variations of the game, but the basics of the rules are simple. To win, a player must form a five-card hand that beats the others in the table. Each player places an ante into the pot, then they are dealt cards one at a time. Each player then bets on their hand, trying to make the best possible hand out of those five cards. The winning player takes all of the chips in the pot. Players may also agree on how to share any remaining money after the game is over.
To bet, a player must say “call” and put the same amount in as the person to their left. They can also “raise” the bet, putting in more than the person to their left did. A player can also choose to drop (fold) the hand and not place any chips into the betting pot at all.
The game is typically played with a dealer, and the dealer position rotates clockwise after each hand. A button is often used to indicate who deals the next hand, and it moves after each hand as well. It is important to learn how to read the other players’ tells, which are unconscious habits that reveal information about a player’s hand.