Poker is a card game where players bet money on their chances of winning a hand. Players may also bluff other players for strategic reasons. While the outcome of any individual hand involves considerable chance, the long-run expectations of the players are determined by their decisions chosen on the basis of probability, psychology, and game theory.

In most games of poker, players are required to place an initial amount of money into the pot before they receive their cards. This is called a forced bet, and it can come in the form of an ante, a blind, or a bring-in. Once the cards are dealt, each player places a bet in turn. A player may call (match the bet of the previous player), raise (place a higher bet than the previous player), or drop out (“fold”).

The goal is to make the best five-card “hand” using your own two cards and the community cards. If you bet and all other players fold, you can win the pot without showing your hand.

The art of poker is learning to read the other players, based on their betting patterns and facial expressions. You must also be able to understand and use your own tells. A tell is an unconscious habit that gives away information about your hand. These include your eye contact, facial expressions, body language, and even gestures. It is important to be able to quickly recognize these tells in order to make accurate readings of your opponents.