Poker is a card game played with chips (representing money) where players aim to create the best five-card hand using their own two cards and the community cards. The game has many variants, but most are similar in the sense that each player has a set amount of chips to bet with each turn. Players can fold if they do not like their cards and lose the chips they have bet so far, or they can raise a bet to win the pot.

Each player begins a round by putting an initial contribution, called an ante, into the pot. Depending on the specific game, this may be done with or without betting. Then the dealer deals each player a complete hand of cards, face-down. Once the player has his cards, he can begin placing bets by saying “call” or “raise.” If he calls, he places a bet equal to the amount raised by the player before him.

A player can also fold if he does not like his hand or is worried about being bluffed by an aggressive opponent. This will result in him losing his chips but he can always return to play later. A good poker player has a variety of tells, or unconscious habits, that he can use to deduce his opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. These can include eye contact, facial expressions, and body language. The better a poker player can read the tells of his opponents, the more likely he is to win.