Poker is a card game played by two or more players. The object of the game is to win a pot, which is the sum of all bets made during a hand. Each player has a choice to fold, call, or raise his bet. The player who calls the highest bet wins the pot. Players usually announce what they are doing, although there are non-verbal ways to communicate what they are doing as well.

The game of poker begins with each player being dealt 2 cards face down. Before the betting starts there are a couple of mandatory bets called blinds put into the pot by the two players to the left of the dealer. These bets help keep the game running by giving players something to chase.

Once the betting is over, each player decides whether to stay in with their two cards (call) or fold them face down to the dealer and get rid of them. There are many variations of this game but in general, a stronger hand beats a weaker one. For example, a pair of kings beats a pair of threes.

Position is also a big factor in how often you’re going to win. If you’re in early position, your opponents have a lot of information about how strong your hand is and may raise or re-raise bets against you. If you’re in late position, on the other hand, your opponents might be less confident about your strength and you can make a lot of money off of simple, cheap bluffs.