Poker is a card game that involves betting, and can be played between two or more players. Players place chips into a pot (a pool of shared bets) in exchange for cards, and then make decisions about whether to call additional bets or fold their hands. The player with the highest five-card hand wins the pot. The rules of poker differ from one variant to the next, but all involve betting and the possibility of bluffing. Although the outcome of any individual hand significantly depends on chance, skillful players can minimize the role of luck over time.

A player may raise the amount of money they put into a pot during a betting interval by saying “raise.” The other players must choose to either call the new bet or fold their cards. If a player doesn’t want to contribute any more to the pot, they can say “check.” During a betting interval, players may also raise their bets by calling those of other players who have raised their own bets.

In addition to raising and folding, the game of Poker can be characterized by a number of tells, or signs that a player is bluffing. These can include shallow breathing, sighing, flaring nostrils, a flushed face and bright eyes. Another classic tell is a shaky hand. The goal of telling is to make the opponent think that you have a strong hand and are attempting to bluff them out of their own money.