Poker is a card game that can be played by two or more players. Each player is dealt two cards that other players cannot see and makes a hand based on the rules of poker. The highest-ranking hand wins the pot, which is all the bets made during that betting round.
Each player must put into the pot at least as many chips as the player to their left. If a player puts in more than that amount, they can say “raise,” which means that other players must call their raise or fold their hands. If they do not want to call, they can “drop” (fold) and forfeit their share of the pot.
The goal of the game is to form a high-ranking poker hand using the cards in your hand and the community cards, which are revealed during each betting round. The strongest hands include a pair, three of a kind, straight, and flush. The weakest hands include one or more single-card outs.
The game of poker involves a great deal of skill, though luck also plays a significant role. A skilled poker player can make a lot of money, even when playing with bad luck. Non-poker players often argue that the game of poker is gambling, but the best players know that it takes more than luck to win a game of poker. However, even the most skilled player will lose some pots due to luck in the short run.