Poker is a card game that involves betting between two or more players. The object of the game is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made during a single deal. The pot may be won either by having the highest poker hand or by making a bet that no one else calls. The game can be played with any number of players, although there are some forms that are designed for only a few players.

In most games, each player must place an initial amount of money into the pot before they are dealt cards. This is called a forced bet and it can come in the form of an ante, blinds or bring-ins. Once everyone has placed their mandatory bets, a round of betting begins. Once all players have received their hole cards, another card is then dealt to the table which is called the flop and a new round of betting takes place.

In poker, it is important to understand the various types of hands that can be made. A straight contains five consecutive cards of the same rank, while a flush contains three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank. A full house contains two identical pairs of cards and a high card, which is used to break ties. In addition, it is important to study your opponents’ betting patterns and the size of their chip stacks. A short stacked opponent will be desperate to win and may be easier to bluff against.