Poker is a card game played by two or more players and is one of the most popular games in the world. It can be played socially for pennies or professionally in a casino for thousands of dollars. It is a game of skill, strategy and chance. While there is a great deal of luck involved in winning a hand, many players consider it a game of skill, and bluffing is often an important part of the game.

Each player places a number of chips into the pot, called forced bets, which are typically either an ante or a blind bet (depending on the rules of the game). The dealer then shuffles and deals cards to each player, starting with the player to their left. A round of betting then begins, and the winner is determined by having a high-ranking poker hand or by making a bet that other players do not call. There may be several rounds of betting, with each player having an opportunity to make a bet in turn.

If a player does not want to continue playing, they must “drop,” putting no more than their original bet into the pot and surrendering their rights in that side pot to the player whose later bet they did not call. A player may also opt to “raise,” placing more chips into the pot and raising the amount that other players must call. In this way, a player can create and win multiple side pots.