Poker is a card game played by two or more players and involves betting on a player’s hand. The game is commonly associated with high stakes and is a great way to develop decision-making skills, such as reading tells (players’ body language and facial expressions that indicate bluffing). In addition to this, the game also helps people learn about probability and statistics.

In most cases, the cards used in poker are from a standard 52-card pack with one or two jokers. Depending on the game rules, some or all of the players may be required to place a pre-determined amount of money into the pot prior to the deal. This is called an ante or bring-in and is designed to create an incentive for players to make bets.

Once all players have received their cards, the first of what could be several rounds of betting begins. The player to the left of the big blind takes the first turn and can choose to call the current bet, put out chips equal to or greater than the current bet amount to raise the bet, or push their cards face down to the dealer without putting any chips into the pot (fold).

After each round of betting has ended, the remaining players reveal their hands and the player with the highest hand wins the pot of money. While some players play conservatively by only playing their best hands, this style of poker can be exploited by opponents who are able to pick off weaker hands easily.