Poker is a card game in which players place bets and try to make the best hand. There are many different variations of the game, but they all involve betting and bluffing. The goal of the game is to win the pot, which is the sum total of all bets in a round. There are also other rules that can vary from game to game, such as whether or not a player’s hand must be revealed at the end of the round.
After each player has two cards, a round of betting begins. The first bet is usually made by the player to the left of the dealer. The players then choose to call, raise, or fold. To raise, a player puts more money into the pot than the previous player. To call, a player matches the amount of money raised by the last player.
Some variations of the game require a forced bet before the cards are dealt. These bets are called antes, blinds, or bring-ins. These bets are made by the players to the left of the dealer, and they can take place in addition to or instead of a normal bet.