Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules. Various forms of the game exist, differing in deck configuration and card dealing, but all involve one or more rounds of betting.

A player may call, check (not put any chips in the pot), or fold. If a player puts all of their remaining chips into the pot, they have made an all-in bet. There are special rules that govern how this type of bet works in different variants of poker.

After a player has called a bet, any cards not already in his or her hand are replaced and the next round of betting begins. This is followed by a showdown, during which each player’s hand is evaluated for superiority. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot.

Players must place an initial amount of money into the pot, depending on the rules of the game. These mandatory bets are known as antes and blinds. A player can also choose to raise the amount of the previous player’s bet, but cannot call more than a player to his or her left. A player who cannot meet the last raise drops out of the pot and discards their hand.

Skill differences between players in Poker are apparent even at small stakes, and the influence of luck is smaller than in many other games. This is due to the fact that players self-select into stakes levels based on their perception of their skill level. This effect is not limited to Poker, and can be seen in professional sports as well as chess and bridge.