Poker is a card game played by two or more players with chips (representing money) that are put down for the buy-in. The object of the game is to form a high-ranking poker hand based on the cards you have, in order to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets placed during any one deal. The player who wins the pot is the player with the highest-ranking poker hand at showdown, or by making a bet that all other players fold.
A poker hand consists of two cards dealt to each player, and five community cards. The first player to act raises the amount of money he or she is betting, and all other players must either call this bet or fold his or her cards. If a player folds his or her cards, he or she will not be allowed to participate in the next betting round.
There are many different poker variants, but all have the same basic structure. A player begins the game by putting his or her chips into the pot, and the turn to raise passes clockwise to each active player.
In poker, the more you know about your opponent’s range of hands, the better you can understand when to call a bet and when to fold. This helps you avoid cognitive biases like the fear of missing out or the desire to prove the strength of your hand, and allows you to play wisely and increase your profitability.