Poker is a card game in which players place bets, called chips, into a central pot before showing their cards. It is a game of chance, but it also involves luck, skill, psychology and other social factors. Players make a number of decisions each hand: whether to fold, call or raise, and what size bet to make. Some decisions are based on probability, others on psychological considerations and some are made for strategic reasons. Although the final outcome of any particular hand largely depends on chance, over the long run a player’s skillful play should lead to positive expected value.
When a hand is complete, players reveal their cards and the winner collects the pot of money. Various rules may apply for determining the winner, but most poker games involve a showdown and a final betting round. Some poker variants allow players to choose not to reveal their cards.
Before the deal, one or more players must make a forced bet, called an ante or blind bet (or both). The dealer then shuffles and cuts the deck, and each player is dealt two cards face up. A betting interval begins, and a player who places a bet that is at least equal to the bet of the previous player is said to call. If a player calls, he cannot raise his bet during the same turn. If he does not call, he must either fold his hand or pay another player to raise on his behalf.