Poker is a card game in which players place bets according to the rules of the game. The objective is to win money from the other players by having a better hand or by bluffing. A good Poker player must be able to read his opponents, anticipate their actions and know the odds of making a winning hand. Unlike most other games, where the twin elements of luck and skill are equally important, over time the application of skill can virtually eliminate the variance of luck.

There are many poker variants, but they all have one essential feature: betting intervals. During each betting interval, one player has the privilege (or obligation) of placing the first bet. He must make a bet of at least equal size as the player who bet before him or drop out of the pot.

After the betting interval, all remaining players show their cards and the player with the best Poker hand wins the pot. Some games have several rounds of betting before this.

Most games of poker are played with chips, which stand in for money. Typically, each color of chip represents a different amount. Typically, white chips are worth the minimum ante or bet; red chips are worth the minimum raise; and blue chips are worth two or more of the previous player’s red chips. Most games are played with seven or more players. A typical Poker table requires a large round table with chairs.