Poker is a card game played by two or more people and involving betting. It is commonly regarded as a game of chance, but it also involves skill, psychology and game theory. The game can be played in many variants, but all involve a common set of rules.
During each round of betting, players reveal and compare their cards in order to determine the winner. This process is known as a showdown. The player with the best five-card poker hand wins. The winning hands vary between different variants, but are typically either high pairs or a full house.
Before each betting round, one or more players are usually required to make forced bets, which can either be an ante or a blind bet (or sometimes both). The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals them to each player, beginning with the player to his or her left. Cards may be dealt face up or face down, depending on the variant of poker being played.
In some games, it is possible for players to draw replacement cards in order to improve their hand during a betting round. These are called community cards and can be used by all players. Alternatively, it is possible for a player to choose not to use these cards in their hand and drop them into the pot, thereby relinquishing his or her rights in any side-pots that may exist.
Poker is often played using poker chips, which are invariably colored red, white, black or blue and have a pre-determined value. They are exchanged by players for cash before the game begins. The chips are then placed in the pot to form the central pot from which all bets are made.