Poker is a card game that has a little bit of luck, but mostly involves bluffing and psychology. It can be played by two to 14 players. The object of the game is to win the pot, or all the bets made during a deal. The player with the best poker hand wins the pot.

Before the cards are dealt, each player places an amount of chips into the pot, called a stake. The first player to place chips into the pot (or “raise”) must match or exceed the raise of the player before him. After that, the other players may call or fold.

Players can also exchange their cards for new ones during or after a betting round. Depending on the rules of the game, this can be done at no cost to other players or for a small fee.

When there is a tie, the high card breaks it. A pair with 2 distinct cards beats any other hand except a flush or a straight.

A flush is any 5 cards of consecutive rank from the same suit. A straight is five cards of consecutive rank, but from different suits. A full house is three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another, or 3 of a kind.

Maria Konnikova is a writer and former academic psychologist who has studied decision-making, or game theory. She believes that the skills used to play poker can help people make better decisions in other parts of life. In particular, she says, the game teaches people how to handle uncertainty and risk.