Poker is a card game in which players place bets (representing money) into a central pot. The game is played in many homes, clubs and over the Internet. It is considered the national card game of the United States, and its play and jargon are widespread in American culture.

The game starts with one or more forced bets, called an ante or blind bet. The dealer shuffles the cards, then deals them to each player one at a time. The player to the left of the person who made the first forced bet acts first, with the option to call, raise or fold.

A player who has a good hand may choose to bluff, in which case they make a bet larger than that of their predecessor. This can be done in the hope that they will convince others that they have a good hand, thus forcing them to fold and giving up their chips.

Once the betting phase has been completed, players reveal their hands and the highest one wins the pot. Depending on the variant of poker being played, the winner may win a percentage of the total amount bet by all the active players, or just the portion that is higher than the lowest possible hand.