Poker is a card game for two or more players. It is played with chips (which can be purchased in a variety of colors and have different values). Players place their bets into the pot, which is placed in the center of the table. The player with the highest hand wins the pot. Before the first hand is dealt, players must put money into the pot (the amount varies by game). Then, the dealer shuffles and deals each player cards, starting with the player to their left. Each player may keep up to three cards, and bet again in the next round.

The goal of the game is to make a hand of five cards from your personal cards and the community cards on the table. Typically, you need to have at least a pair of 7s to win. However, the best hand can change throughout the course of a hand as other cards are revealed on the flop, turn and river.

During the betting rounds, players can raise or call bets. If you call, you must place your bet in the same amount as the player to your right. You can also say “check” if you do not wish to bet any more. In some variations of the game, you can also bluff, which involves pretending to have a high or low hand, and hoping that the other players will call your bet and fold. This is considered a risky strategy because you can lose more than your initial investment in the pot.