Poker is a card game with many variants that can be played with 2, 3, 4, 5, or more players. The object of the game is to win the pot, or the sum of the bets made by each player in a betting interval. In each betting interval, one player makes a bet of chips (representing money) into the pot and all players must either call that bet by putting in the same number of chips, or raise it by putting more into the pot than the player before them. A player may also choose to drop (“fold”), in which case they put no chips into the pot and forfeit any cards that they hold.

When all players have two cards, a round of betting begins. Before the players see their cards, however, 2 mandatory bets are placed into the pot by the two players to the left of the dealer (these are called blinds). A player can either call the blinds, raise them, or fold.

During the betting round, players compete for the highest poker hand by betting and raising against each other. There are many strategies that can be employed in poker, and a good knowledge of other players’ poker tells is crucial. A tell is an unconscious habit or expression that reveals information about a player’s hand, and can include things like eye contact, facial expressions, body language, and gestures. The most effective way to learn about tells is to study them in other players.