Poker is a card game played by two or more players and contested over a central pot of money. In the most common form of the game, each player places bets during a betting round after being dealt cards. Bets may be called, raised, or folded depending on the specific rules of the game being played. The game is considered to be a game of chance, but many aspects of the game are based on probability, psychology, and game theory.
Before the deal begins, one or more players are required to make forced bets, usually an ante and/or a blind bet (sometimes both). The dealer then shuffles the cards, the player on the chair to their right cuts, and the dealer deals each player their cards one at a time, beginning with the player on the left. Cards can be dealt face up or down, and the first round of betting commences.
During a betting round, players place bets against each other, with the goal of having the highest-ranking hand at the end of the hand. Players can also raise (increase) their bet during a betting round, and in some cases, put all of their remaining chips into the pot, a move known as going all-in.
The betting in poker can be quite aggressive, and bluffing is a primary feature of the game. In fact, a good bluff can be enough to win the entire pot! The game is most popular in the United States, where it is a national pastime and the corresponding vocabulary has become part of American culture.