Poker is a card game that can be played by two or more players. It is a game of chance and strategy in which the player with the best five-card hand wins all the money in the pot. Players can also choose to bluff, in which case they risk losing all their chips and may not win the pot at all. A good poker player has a tested and trusted strategy that they use to make money over time at the table.
The game can be played with any number of players, from 2 to 14. Regardless of the number of players at a table, there are certain rules that must be followed. Each round of betting begins when a player places his or her chips into the pot, called making a bet. Then, each player to his or her left must either call the bet by putting the same amount into the pot or raise it. If the player does not want to raise, he or she can check and stay in the round.
After each deal, the players reveal their cards and the one with the best 5-card hand wins all the money in the pot. If there is a tie among the players with the best hands, then the players share the money in the pot equally. In many games, players are required to contribute to a fund, called the kitty. This fund helps pay for new decks of cards and for food and drinks.