Poker is a card game that involves betting between two or more players. The objective is to win the pot, or the aggregate amount of all bets made during a hand. There are many different forms of poker, and the game is played in homes, clubs, and casinos. Poker is a popular pastime, and it has become an important element of American culture.

During each round of betting, players place chips into the pot representing the amount of money they want to wager on their hands. A player can call (match the previous bet), raise (increase the previous bet), or fold (give up and lose the money already bet). Players may also bluff by betting that they have a superior hand when in fact they do not.

Before the cards are dealt, the player to the left of the dealer places a bet called the small blind. The player to the left of him must then call or raise this bet, or else they forfeit their rights to any side pots that might form during the hand.

After the players receive their two personal cards, three more are revealed to the table and are called the flop. These are community cards that all players can use to create their best five-card hand.

The player with the highest hand wins the pot, and the other players must either call, raise, or fold. If a player has a strong enough hand to raise, it is often advantageous to do so and force weaker hands out of the pot.