Poker is a card game played between two or more players and involves betting on the outcome of a hand. The game has many variations and uses a combination of skill and strategy to win. While luck is an important factor in the game, most of the decisions made by players are based on an estimation of probabilities and other factors such as psychology and game theory.

In a typical game of poker, each player must first purchase chips for their own bets. This is known as “buying in” and is usually done by revealing a small portion of their hand. This can be as low as one white chip or as high as five red chips, depending on the rules of a particular game.

Several rounds of betting follow the initial deal. During each round, the player to their left may call or raise bets. Players can also choose to reveal their hands at the end of the round, but this will not affect the outcome of the hand.

The highest ranking hands in poker are a Royal Flush (A, K, Q, J, and 10 of the same suit) followed by Four of a Kind; Straight; Three of a Kind; Two Pair; and High Card. If two or more hands have the same rank, then the higher card wins the tie.