Poker is a card game in which players place bets on the outcome of a hand. The game can be played with two to 14 players, although the ideal number is 6 or 7 people. There are a huge number of different poker variations, but all share the same basic rules. The object is to win the pot, which is the aggregate of all bets made on a given deal. This pot can be won by having the highest-ranking poker hand, or by making a bet that no other player calls.
There is skill at the game, but it is primarily a psychological endeavor that involves reading your opponents and exploiting their weaknesses. The game is played over multiple rounds of betting, and each round requires an understanding of the game’s rules as well as a good sense of risk-reward. Most expert poker players are also proficient in a wide range of skills, including the ability to extract signal from noise and to use multiple channels to exploit and protect themselves.
The game begins with one or more forced bets, called an ante or blind bet. The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals them to the players, starting with the player on their right. Each betting interval, or “turn,” begins when a player either meets or raises the previous player’s bet. During each turn, players may add cards to their hands or replace cards they have already received.