Poker is a card game in which players bet money (representing chips) against other people. The highest hand wins the pot. There are a number of variants of the game, which differ from one another by how the cards are dealt and how betting occurs.

Each player buys in for a certain amount of chips. The chips are usually white and different colors, with each chip worth a specific value: A single white chip is a unit or low-value bet; a white plus a red chip is a raise; a red plus a blue chip is a push; and so on. The game is almost always played using these chips, so each player must have a supply of them.

When the betting phase ends, each player must show his or her cards. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. If no one has a good hand, the pot is split between the players who raised.

There are a lot of reasons for changing seats or tables, including poor seating positions, an unpleasant neighbor, and the ability to see your cards better. However, you should always ask the dealer for a seat change button before making your move.

Knowing how to play the game in different formats is very important for maximizing your winnings. This includes understanding optimal push-fold ranges based on stack size and finding weak opponents to exploit. It is also very important to practice playing with a full deck of cards, so you will be ready for any situation at the table.