Poker is a card game that involves betting, and can be played with 2 to 14 players. The object is to win the pot, which is the aggregate amount of all bets made in a single deal. A player may win the pot by having a high-ranking hand, or by making a bet that no one else calls. Players may also bluff by betting that they have a strong hand when they do not, in order to force players holding weaker hands to fold or call their bet.

In addition to betting, a key element of poker is the psychological dimension; players attempt to make other players believe that they have a good or bad hand through a series of body language and speech cues. For example, a player may flinch when the cards are revealed or smile when he or she wins. Similarly, a player might say “raising,” which indicates that the player intends to add more money to the pot than the previous bet. Players who are uncomfortable with risk-taking may choose to raise a bet only as much as necessary for them to remain in the pot, but cannot win more than they have staked.

Players pay an ante to enter the game and then are dealt five cards. After a round of betting, players can discard up to three of their cards and take new ones from the deck. The best hand wins the pot.