Poker is a card game in which players make bets on the strength of their cards and the position of other players’ hands. It can be played by 2 or more people and is usually won by the player with the highest-ranking hand at the end of a round. It has spread widely in the United States, where it has become a cultural icon and is televised on the cable and satellite networks. The rules of the game are complex, and there are many variations of the game.

The game is typically played with poker chips, which are colored and have assigned values. Each player exchanges cash for these chips before the deal begins. The chips may be made of clay, plastic, or metal.

After each player has received their two hole cards, a betting round occurs. This round is initiated by two mandatory bets called blinds placed into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer.

A third card is then dealt face up — this is known as the flop. Then another round of betting takes place. Typically, the players with the strongest hands bet the most at this stage, forcing weaker hands to fold.

The fifth and final card is then dealt face up — this final round of betting is called the river. The player with the strongest five-card hand wins the pot, which contains all bets from each previous round. The monetary value of a hand is determined by the rank of the cards and their suit, with higher-ranked cards being more valuable than lower-ranked ones.