Poker is a card game that can be played with two or more players. Typically, players compete to win the pot (the sum of all bets made in a single deal) by having the highest-ranking poker hand at the end of the betting phase. In most forms of poker, a player may choose to raise or fold his or her cards before the final showdown.
A player may also use various signals to misinform other players about the value of their hands. These signals are often called tells, and they can involve eye contact, facial expressions, body language, or gestures. Professional poker players have honed their skills at extracting signal from these various channels to both exploit opponents and protect themselves.
Before the cards are dealt, the player to the left of the button must post an initial amount of money into the pot – called the small blind or bring-in. The player to his or her immediate right must then call this bet, or raise it. These bets are known as the blinds and are intended to give players something to chase – and to keep the game fair for all.
After the blinds, three additional cards are dealt face-up to the center of the table. These are called the flop and are community cards that can be used by all players to form their poker hands. If a player has the highest poker hand after the flop, he or she wins the pot. If no one has the best poker hand after the flop, a new round of betting begins.