Poker is a card game in which players wager against each other on the strength of their hands. It is a family of games that vary in rules and deck configuration, but all involve one or more rounds of betting.

During a round of betting, the player to the left of the dealer may place a bet (called raising). Each other player then has the option of calling this bet, increasing it or folding. Ultimately, the player with the best hand wins the pot.

In addition to the basic strategy of betting, good poker players have an edge over weaker players by bluffing. This involves reading subtle physical poker tells and analyzing opponents’ behavior. The goal is to minimize losses with weak hands and maximize winnings with strong ones.

A player must have at least a pair of jacks to raise after the flop and make a bet. Similarly, a player must have at least three kings to make a bet after the turn. Ties are broken by the highest unmatched cards or secondary pairs (in a full house).

The World Series of Poker was created to declare poker champions, and a boom in online poker has made it even more popular. It is now played in glitzy casinos and seedy dives alike. The game has become a cultural phenomenon, with its own television show and movie adaptations. It is a fascinating study of how chance and skill interact in human competition.