Poker is a card game with a long history. There are many variations of the game, but they all share some core features. Poker is a game of chance, but it also involves skill and psychology. Players can improve their odds by learning to bluff and understanding how other players react to certain situations. In addition, good players regularly analyze their own play to identify areas for improvement.

The basic object of poker is to win the pot, or the aggregate sum of all bets made during a hand. Players compete by forming poker hands from five cards. The highest hand wins. The pot is usually large enough to attract a significant number of callers, and the final showdown may be dramatic. The game is played with a standard deck of 52 cards, and some variant games use multiple packs or add wild cards.

During each betting round one player, as designated by the rules of the particular poker variant being played, has the privilege or obligation to make a bet. The player to his left must either call the bet or fold his hand. Each subsequent player is required to place into the pot a number of chips representing money equal to or at least twice the amount placed in by the player acting before him.

A poker hand must consist of a sequence of five cards of the same suit. If no such hand can be made, the value of the highest individual card takes precedence.