Poker is a card game in which players place chips (representing money) into the pot in order to compete for a high-ranking hand. The player with the best hand wins all of the money placed into the pot by the other players. The winner of a round also receives the privilege of beginning the next betting phase with the same amount of money.
Before betting starts, the dealer shuffles the cards and cuts. The players then put down forced bets, either an ante or a blind bet (sometimes both). After the betting interval ends one player reveals his or her cards and then the final betting phase takes place. The player with the best 5-card hand wins the pot. If there is a tie, the best hands are shared among the players.
Players may also place a bet, called a raise, to add more chips into the pot. Other players can choose to call the raise or fold. Some players may even make an all-in bet, meaning that they will put all of their remaining chips into the pot.
Although a large component of poker is luck or variance, it is a competitive skill game and in the long run a skilful player will win the most money. This is because the game combines probability, psychology and game theory. However, non-poker players sometimes argue that the game is a form of gambling. While some of the initial bets are forced, the players are always placing their chips into the pot voluntarily based on expected value.