Poker is a game of cards played by two or more people. It is a card game where skill and luck are both required to win. Over time the application of skill can virtually eliminate the variance caused by chance. It requires knowledge of the game rules and basic strategy, as well as a solid understanding of probability and psychology.

Each player is dealt 2 hole cards. Then a round of betting takes place. The first player to act can choose to call the bet, raise it or fold. If you raise a bet, you must put in at least as many chips as the person before you. You can also call a bet and then raise it again, or simply raise your own bet by putting in more than the previous players.

Once the first betting round is complete, 3 community cards are dealt face up on the table. This is called the flop. A fourth card is then dealt face up on the table and there is a final round of betting. The player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot.

A poker hand consists of 5 cards that are either matching in rank or sequence, and must be from the same suit. The highest-ranking poker hand is a Royal Flush (Jack-Queen-King-Ace of the same suit). Other common poker hands include Straight, Three of a Kind, Four of a Kind, Flush, and Two Pair. To form a winning poker hand, you must be able to read your opponent and make moves based on what you think they have in their hand. This is a key aspect of poker that separates beginners from pros.