Poker is a card game for two or more players. Each player must form the best hand of five cards from their own two personal hands and the shared community cards on the table. The highest-ranking hand wins the pot. The pot consists of all bets made by the players in a betting round, including any antes.

Depending on the rules of the variant being played, one player is designated as having the privilege or obligation to make the first bet. Other players must either call (match) the bet or fold their hands. Players may also bluff, betting that they have a superior hand when they do not, hoping to win the pot by intimidating other players into calling their bet.

If a player wants to raise the amount of money they are betting on their current hand, they must say “raise” to add more chips or cash into the pot. They must then wait for the other players to decide whether to call their new bet or fold.

In order to be a successful poker player, it is necessary to understand how the game works and the basic rules. It is also important to spend time learning about hand rankings and the impact of position at a table. The divide between break-even beginner players and big-time winners is often narrower than many people think, and it is usually just a few small adjustments that allow players to start winning at a higher rate.