Poker is a game in which players compete for an amount of money or chips contributed by the players themselves (called the pot). The hand that wins the pot depends on the player’s skill and predictions as to what their opponents may be holding. The game can be played by 2 or more players and has many different variants.

Each player is dealt two cards that are hidden from the other players, which are called their hole or pocket cards. Then, a betting phase begins. Depending on the game, players then reveal their hands in turn, competing to win the pot.

There are a number of different types of poker hands, and each has a specific ranking. For example, a full house consists of 3 matching cards of one rank and 2 matching cards of another rank. A flush consists of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. Three of a kind consists of three distinct cards of one rank. High card breaks ties in case there are identical pairs or higher, as well as when no one has a pair or better.

In poker, you can bet on a hand by saying “call” or “raise.” Saying call means that you want to match the amount of the last player’s bet. If you raise, the other players can choose to “call” your new bet or fold their hand.