The game of Poker is a card game in which players compete against each other by betting that their cards are better than those of their opponents. The object is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made during a particular deal. Players may bet by raising, calling, or folding. The game can be played by two or more people, and the number of cards dealt varies between games.

To play a hand of Poker you need to have a good understanding of the rules and basic strategy. In addition to having a solid grasp of the game you need to be able to read your opponents. This includes knowing their betting patterns and identifying their tells.

Depending on the game, one or more players are required to place an initial amount of money into the pot before the cards are dealt. These are called forced bets and can take the form of antes, blinds, or bring-ins. The dealer shuffles the cards and deals them out to the players in turn, beginning with the player on their left.

During each betting interval, or round, a player may raise their bet by adding chips to the pot. If they do, the other players must either call their bet or else “fold.” Players who fold cannot put any more chips into the pot and must discard their cards. Alternatively, they may choose to draw replacement cards from the bottom of the draw stack.