Poker is a game that involves betting and strategy. Each player must make a forced bet to begin the game (called an ante or blind bet), and then he or she must show his or her hand. After each betting round, the dealer shuffles and cuts the cards. Once everyone has received their cards, the dealer deals them one by one to the players. The cards may be dealt face up or face down, depending on the game’s rules. The game continues until one player has a winning hand.

One important concept in poker is called balancing your range. Essentially, a good poker range is a mix of value hands and bluffs. This concept is often wrapped around discussions about GTO (general time of action) and indifference points (indifference points). For example, going all-in on the river with a pair of kings would be a balanced play if the opponent called. If the opponent folded, the caller would have a 2:1 chance of winning the hand.

The game of poker is popular throughout the world. It is played in almost every country and has evolved over time. It originated in Germany in the sixteenth century as a bluffing game called pochen. Later on, this variant of the game was brought to France and eventually spread to the U.S., where it was played on riverboats.