Poker is a card game in which the players place bets on the strength of their hands. It is considered a skill game because it involves strategic decision making that depends on probability, psychology and game theory. Although luck plays a significant role in the outcome of individual hands, it is in the long run the best players who win. It is important to learn to read your opponents and understand their betting patterns. It is also helpful to practice and watch experienced players to develop quick instincts.

Before the cards are dealt, each player must put chips into the pot – called “calling” a bet. Players must continue to call or raise bets until one player is all-in, meaning that they have committed to putting all of their remaining chips into the pot.

Once the bets are made, players reveal their cards and the player with the strongest hand wins the pot. There may be multiple rounds of betting in a round, depending on the variant of the game.

At the end of a poker game, the players usually create a special fund called a kitty. This is created by “cutting” (taking) a low-denomination chip from every pot in which more than one player has raised a bet. The kitty is used to pay for new decks of cards and food and drinks. Any remaining chips in the kitty when the game ends are divided evenly among the players still in the hand.