Poker is a card game that can be played by a group of people sitting around a table. Each player puts in a small amount of money, called chips, into the pot before betting begins. Players have the option to raise, call, or fold their cards after the first round of betting. The person with the highest hand wins the pot.

Poker can be a very fun and exciting game to play. However, it is important to know the rules of the game before you begin playing. The game of poker can help you develop better decision-making skills, and it can also improve your understanding of probability and statistics. The game of poker can also teach you how to read your opponents and predict their behavior.

There are many different forms of poker, but most involve betting by all players in a single deal. Each player is dealt a certain number of cards, and the turn to bet passes in a clockwise direction until someone calls, raises, or folds.

A player may also “call” a blind bet (an uncalled bet). This means that he or she will match the last bet made, and this is an equalization method used in some games. If a player cannot meet the last raise, he must either fold or stay in the pot and lose only his own staked amount.

The main goal of poker is to win the “pot,” which is all of the bets placed during a single deal. In addition, there may be side pots for players with other types of winning hands.