Poker is a card game where players bet on the relative strength of their hands according to the rules of the specific poker variant being played. It is a game of chance, but one in which skill can make a difference, especially when it comes to reading your opponents. Poker reads can be as subtle as scratching your nose or playing nervously with your chips but most poker strategy books recommend paying close attention to patterns in your opponents behavior.

Poker games vary in their use of cards and the number dealt face up or down but all have betting rounds that involve a minimum amount of money (or chips) being put into the pot by each player. The first player to act may choose to call (match) a previous player’s bet, raise the bet by an agreed amount or drop out of the hand.

Once everyone has checked (matched) the previous bet the dealer will reveal a fourth community card on the table. This is called the Turn. If only a single player remains in the hand it is time for the final betting round, the River.

At the end of the betting round, players reveal their cards and if they have the highest ranked poker hand they win the pot. If no player has a winning poker hand, the pot is shared amongst all remaining players. The cards are then re-shuffled and the next hand begins.