Poker is a card game in which players make bets using chips or cash. The object of the game is to win the pot by making a hand with the best combination of cards. In some variations, the highest-ranking hand wins; in others, the lowest-ranking hand wins.
In some poker games, the dealer shuffles and cuts the deck, then deals each player one card at a time, face-up or down, depending on the variant being played. After each player has received his or her cards, the first of several betting rounds begins. Each player must either call the bet (put in the same number of chips as the player to his or her left) or raise it. If a player cannot or will not raise, he or she must fold.
The best hands in poker are made up of a pair or three of a kind. A pair is two matching cards of the same rank, while a three of a kind is 3 cards of the same rank, plus 2 unmatched cards. A straight is five consecutive cards of the same suit. A flush is five cards of the same suit that are not consecutive.
In addition to the cards, poker is also a game of psychology and mathematical strategy. A key component of the game is reading other players’ tells — unconscious habits that reveal information about their hand. These tells are often visual, such as eye contact and facial expressions, or they may be verbal. Some players also use body language, such as posture and gestures.