Poker is a card game that requires bluffing and strategy. The goal is to beat your opponents and win the pot.

The game is played with a standard deck of 52 cards (or fewer in some games) and can include wild cards. The cards are ranked according to their suit, and the highest hand wins.

Most poker games begin with a forced bet called the blind, which is placed by one or more players before they are dealt their cards. This initial bet may be in the form of antes or blinds, and varies by type of game.

Once the initial bet is made, players bet in rounds until all but one player folds. If more than one player remains in the hand after the final betting round, a showdown takes place where the hands are revealed and the winner is awarded the pot.

Betting consists of two main rounds: the first is a call, in which the player matching a previous bet must either match the previous bet or fold, and the second is a raise. A call involves putting in the same amount as the previous bet, and a raise involves putting in more than the previous bet.

Bluffing is a key feature of poker, as it allows players to see the bets of their opponents and compare them with their own hands. The player who bluffs loses the amount of money they have bet so far and is not involved in further betting until the next hand begins.