Poker is a card game where players place bets (representing money) into a common pot, and the player with the best five-card hand at the end of a betting round wins all the chips in the pot. There are many different variants of poker, but most share certain core elements. The ability to read opponents and make decisions under pressure are a key part of the game. It is also necessary to manage risk.

Poker can be played in a variety of formats, including cash games and tournaments. Each format has its own rules and nuances, but all poker players must be able to extract signal from noise and integrate information. This requires a wide range of skills, from reading tells to understanding how the game changes over time.

The first step in a betting round is for one player to make a forced bet, usually an ante or blind bet. The dealer shuffles the cards, then deals them to each player, starting with the person on their left. The cards may be dealt face up or down, depending on the variant of poker being played.

During the course of a round, each player must place bets into the pot, in increments specified by the rules of the poker variant being played. Players can also choose to check their hand, in which case they do not raise but wait until it is their turn to act again. The last player to act is said to be in late position, and they have the advantage of seeing how other players have raised in previous betting intervals.