Poker is a card game that has millions of fans. It is a game of chance, but also of psychology and mathematics. The main goal of the game is to win a pot, which is the total of all bets placed in one deal. This pot may be won by having the highest hand or by bluffing other players. Whether or not to bluff is a decision made on the basis of expected value, risk/reward and other factors.

Depending on the rules of the particular poker variant being played, one or more players are required to place an initial amount of money into the pot before the cards are dealt. These are called forced bets, and they come in the form of antes, blinds or bring-ins.

There are a number of betting intervals in each poker deal, and during each betting interval a player must either match the previous players’ bet (say “call”) or fold their hand. Players can also raise the bet during their turn, and this is known as raising.

When it comes to the final showdown, each player reveals their cards and the best hand takes the pot. Some hands are more valuable than others, and a winning hand is usually based on the strength of the highest card in the player’s hand. Examples of high-value hands include a straight, three of a kind, and two pair. A straight is a series of five consecutive cards of the same rank; for example, an Ace, Two, Three, Four and Five.