Poker is a card game played by two or more players. It is a betting game, and winning a hand requires either having a superior combination of cards or by bluffing. Players must put a certain number of chips into the pot before the cards are dealt. This amount is known as the forced bet or ante. A player may also choose to raise this amount. If a player does not want to call, they may “fold” (drop out of the hand).

After the antes and blinds have been placed, each player is dealt seven cards. The best five-card hand wins the pot. Depending on the rules of the game, a player may decide to discard cards in order to draw replacements from the deck.

The basic hand consists of three matching cards of one rank and two unmatched cards of another rank. A full house consists of three matching cards of the same rank, while a flush consists of 5 cards of consecutive ranks and the same suit. A straight consists of 5 cards that skip around in rank but are all from the same suit.

You deal yourself a pair of kings off the deal. The betting starts and you call (put a dime into the pot). Brad calls, but he only has two. He’s probably trying for a straight or flush. You think he might be bluffing, and you raise the bet by a dollar. Charley folds, and Dennis raises his bet a bit more.