Poker is a card game in which players independently try to assemble the highest value hand of cards in order to win cash or chips. It is traditionally a table game, but can also be played online or in tournaments.

Unlike most card games, money is not forced into the pot at the beginning of each betting round; rather, players place bets on a voluntary basis. They make these bets because they believe the bet has positive expected value or because they are trying to bluff other players for strategic reasons. While the outcome of any particular hand will largely involve chance, most players’ long-run expectations are determined by actions they choose on the basis of probability theory, psychology and game theory.

The rules of poker vary between different variants, but all share the same basic structure. Players are dealt a number of cards, and the person to their left acts first in each betting round. At the end of each betting round, the player with the best hand wins the pot.

One of the most popular poker variants is Texas hold’em, which is characterized by its high betting limits. See this glossary entry to learn more about the rules of hold’em.