Poker is a betting card game that requires skill, fast decision making and the ability to read opponents. The object of the game is to win money from your opponents, and this can be achieved either by having the best hand or by bluffing. The game is played in a variety of ways around the world, and there are many different rules for each variant.

In most games, players are required to make a minimum bet (the ante or blind) before the cards are dealt. The dealer shuffles the cards, and then deals them to the players one at a time in rotation, beginning with the player on their left. Each player may cut the deck once.

After each deal, a round of betting commences. Each player must either call the bet by putting chips into the pot or raise the bet by an agreed amount. If a player does not wish to call, they must “drop” by not putting any chips into the pot or dropping out of the betting interval.

Players can also bluff by pretending that they have a high-scoring hand. If other players do not call the bluff, the player wins the pot. If no players have a good hand, the remaining players show their hands face up and the player with the highest-scoring hand takes the pot. There can be several rounds of betting in a single game, and the winner must always outdraw any opponent’s hand.