Poker is a card game of strategy and chance, played by two or more players. The object of the game is to win a pot, or sum of money bet by each player during one deal, by having a higher-ranking poker hand than other players. This can be done by either having the best hand or by betting, known as bluffing, and forcing players with weaker hands to call your bet.

The rules of poker vary widely depending on the variant being played, but there are some common features. Most games are played with a fixed number of cards. Each player receives five cards, and each must use at least two of them to form a poker hand. The remaining cards are community cards that any player may use to create a winning hand. The first player to reveal his or her hand begins the betting, which is usually done by a clockwise rotation around the table.

During a hand, the players take turns acting according to the rules of their chosen poker variant. When it is a player’s turn to act, he or she may raise the amount of chips placed in the pot (representing money) by an amount at least equal to the bet made by the player to his or her immediate right.

A player may also choose to check, in which case he or she will not place any chips into the pot. This can be a good way to conserve your budget or prevent a player from raising the value of the pot too much by calling every bet.