Poker is a game of chance, but it also relies on skill. There are many different forms of poker, but all involve betting chips and the ability to bluff. The object of the game is to win wagers and earn cash prizes, known as pots. A player wins a pot by making a high-ranking poker hand or bluffing their opponents into folding. The game is played with a conventional 52-card deck, but there are other variants that use alternative card sizes or rules.

A poker game has one or more betting intervals each deal. Each time a player’s turn comes around, they can choose to “call” (match) the amount put in by the person before them or raise it. If they are unable to call, they must drop out of the pot, forfeiting any chips they have put into it.

If a player calls, they show their cards to the rest of the players and the highest-ranking poker hand takes the pot. If two or more players have the same hand, it is a tie and the pot is split evenly.

The first step in becoming a great poker player is learning to read your opponents. This is done through their facial expressions, body language, and other tells. These are unconscious habits that reveal information about their hands. Using these tells will allow you to make educated guesses about your opponent’s hand strength. This way you can play smarter, and avoid making mistakes that could cost you a lot of money.