Poker is a card game played in several variants with varying numbers of players, with the goal of winning the pot (the aggregate of all bets placed during a hand). It is considered to be one of the most complex games of chance, but also requires considerable skill and psychology. Players make bets based on expected value and their perceived chances of making the best hand. This allows for bluffing, which is an essential element of the game.

Each player places an ante or blind bet before cards are dealt. After the antes are in, a series of betting rounds takes place. At the end of each round, all players reveal their cards and the player with the highest-ranking hand wins the pot.

A poker hand is made up of five cards. The highest hand is a royal flush, which is a 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of the same suit in sequence. A straight is 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. Three of a kind is three matching cards of the same rank. Two pair is two cards of the same rank and two other unmatched cards. High card breaks ties.

The game is played with chips, which are used to bet on the strength of a hand or to try to bluff other players into folding. Poker is played both in private homes and in casinos and card rooms. It has become an American national pastime and is popular worldwide. It is also a part of American culture, with poker jargon becoming common in everyday speech.