Poker is a card game played by two or more players and involves betting. The object of the game is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made during a hand. The pot is won by either having the highest poker hand or by making a bet that no other player calls. Players can also bluff, which increases the value of their hand if opponents call it.
The rules of Poker vary slightly depending on the variant being played, but in most forms, each player receives 2 cards before a round of betting begins. There are 13 different card ranks, so players receive 169 different starting hands (ignoring specific suit combinations). The first round of betting is initiated by 2 mandatory bets called blinds placed into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer.
When the betting round is complete, players reveal their cards and the player with the best hand wins the pot. Alternatively, a player can decide to keep their cards hidden and only bet on the flop, turn, or river.
Position is an important aspect of poker strategy because it affects how much risk you have to take with each bet you make. The earlier your position, the more you will risk as you have less information about what kind of hand other players are holding. On the other hand, later positions have a more accurate picture of what kind of hand their opponents are holding and can thus minimize the amount they risk.