Poker is a card game played between two or more players and involves betting. It is a game of chance but, when betting comes into play, skill and psychology are also involved. There are many variations of the game but in general, a player with the highest ranking hand wins the pot. There are three basic categories of hands: a straight, a flush and a pair. A straight is five cards of consecutive rank in the same suit. A flush is five cards of different ranks but all from the same suit. A pair is two cards of the same rank with two unmatched side cards.

The game begins with one or more forced bets, called antes or blind bets. The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals them to the players, one at a time, starting with the player to their left. Each player then has the choice to call the bet (putting a minimum amount of chips into the pot), raise the bet (putting more than the previous player) or drop out of the pot, leaving their cards in the deck and forfeiting any rights they may have in the pot.

It is important to learn the game rules before playing with real money. It is also useful to understand some basic poker odds before you start. A basic understanding of these odds can help you to improve your chances of winning a hand and avoid losing money by making good decisions.