Poker is a card game of skill and chance, where players place bets based on probability, psychology, and game theory. Players can also bluff in poker, with the goal of convincing other players that they have a better hand than they actually do. It is a popular casino game and a major card game in many societies around the world.

The game can be played with one or more decks of cards, and players usually wager chips (representing money) into a central pot. Generally, a white chip is worth a minimum of the ante or bet; a red chip is worth five white chips; and blue and black chips are worth 10 or 25 white chips.

During each betting interval, one player, designated by the rules of the poker variant being played, makes a bet of one or more chips. Each player in turn must either “call” the amount of the previous player’s bet, or raise it (bet more than the last player). If a player is unwilling to raise a bet, they can fold, giving up any money they have placed into that round.

After the initial bets, the dealer shuffles the cards and deals them to the players, starting with the player to the left. The players then evaluate their cards and form a hand. The best five-card poker hand wins the pot. Some poker variants allow players to draw replacement cards for the ones they have in their hands, during or after the betting phase.