Poker is a card game that requires both skill and luck in order to be successful, played either as cash games or as tournament play. The rules of poker vary by format, but many of the same strategies apply across both formats.

The simplest version of poker involves two cards being dealt to each player and five community cards being placed in the center of the table (“River”). Each player aims to make the best 5 card hand they can using their own 2 cards and the river, by betting with chips (money) while opponents call or fold. Players can also bluff, betting that they have a superior hand when in reality they do not.

During each betting interval, called a round, one player places into the pot a number of chips equal to or greater than any bet that has been made by a previous active player. This is called calling a bet. If a player does not wish to call the bet, they must “raise” by adding an amount of chips to the total staked in that round. If a player cannot raise, they must drop out of the game.

Tournaments take place on a variety of scales and are often organized in conjunction with local gaming groups or as a way to bring structure to friendly competitions among friends. The smallest tournaments are typically called locals or weeklies and are held in card shops, bars, community centers, or other public gathering places.