Poker is a card game that can be played by two or more players and is centered around winning the pot, which is the sum total of all the bets made during a single deal. There are many forms of the game, with variations on the rules and number of cards dealt affecting the overall strategy.

The player with the highest hand wins the pot. A hand may consist of one or more pairs, straights, three-of-a-kinds, or high cards. In some cases, a higher kicker (the highest card remaining after any combination that leaves cards out) may be more valuable than the actual pair itself.

A key element of poker is reading your opponents. This is done by studying tells, such as a player’s eye movements, idiosyncrasies, betting behavior and hand gestures. A player who raises bets frequently is likely to be holding a premium hand, while a player who calls often but never raises may be holding a weaker one.

During a deal, the dealer deals each player two cards face down and then places three more cards on the table, called the “flop.” The flop is community cards that anyone can use to create a five-card poker hand. After the flop, there are two more betting intervals, and then a final betting round called the “river” shows the fifth and last community card. At this point players can either fold or continue to the showdown by raising.