Poker is a card game of skill that involves the combination of probability, psychology and game theory. It is played by millions of people around the world. The basic premise of the game is that players compete for a “pot” of money by placing bets on their cards. Players minimize their losses with poor hands and maximize their winnings with good ones. The game can be played with any number of players from two to fourteen. Almost always, Poker is played with poker chips. The chips represent money, and are used to make mandatory bets (“blinds”) that contribute to the pot.

At the beginning of each betting interval, one player, designated by the rules of the particular Poker variant being played, must place chips into the pot equal to or greater than the contribution made by the player before him. This is the initial forced bet and is known as an “ante.”

Once all the players have placed their antes, 2 cards are dealt to each player face down. The players may then discard up to 3 cards and draw replacements from the deck (as in a five-card draw). A round of betting follows, with the player who has the best hand showing it to the rest of the players.

The best Poker hands are a royal flush (aces, 10, jacks and queens of the same suit), a straight (five consecutive cards of the same suit), or four of a kind (4 of the same rank but different suits). A player with a weak hand may choose to “fold” and drop out of the pot. This allows him to avoid wasting money and also keeps his record of play clear.