Poker is a card game played by two or more players with chips (money to bet with) on a table. Each player is dealt 2 cards which they will use with 5 community cards to make their “hand.” The highest hand wins the pot. Players can bet during a hand by saying “call” to raise the amount that the person before them bet, or simply check which means they don’t want to bet and wait for it to come back around to them.

If a player has a good hand, they can bet that it is the best in order to get other people to call their bets and increase their chances of winning. This is called bluffing and is a big part of the game. If a player doesn’t have a good hand they can fold.

The game of poker has many variants, but all are played with a small group of players sitting around a table. The initial dealer is chosen by giving everyone a card from a shuffled deck and then whoever gets the highest card becomes the first dealer.

The largest poker tournaments are held in casinos and major gambling centers in the US, but there are also smaller local events that are sometimes called “weeklies” or “locals.” These are usually played at card shops, bars, or conventions, and they can be a great way to meet other people who enjoy the same games as you. These events can also be a lot of fun and help you build your comfort level with taking risks.