Poker is a card game played by two or more people and involves betting. It is a game of chance, but it also relies on skill and can teach you how to weigh risks and rewards. Unlike many other games, poker requires you to think ahead and plan accordingly. This can help you in your business and personal lives, especially when you have to make a big decision. It can also improve your ability to read other players and understand their behavior. For example, you may be able to pick up on tells, which are body language and facial expressions that indicate whether someone is bluffing or not.

To begin, the dealer shuffles a set number of cards and then deals them to each player, beginning with the person to their left. Depending on the variant being played, there are usually several betting intervals, and when one ends the remaining players reveal their hands and the highest-ranking hand wins the pot (also known as the showdown).

To participate in a bet, a player must either call or raise it. Calling means putting in the same amount of money as the previous player, while raising means putting in more. A player can also fold, which is surrendering the hand and losing any bets they have placed. The amount of chips in the pot at the end of a betting interval depends on the particular poker variant being played and how much was bet by each player.