Poker is a card game in which players place bets against each other. The object is to win the pot by having the highest-ranking hand at the end of a betting round. There are many different forms of poker, but most share the same basic rules and a common betting structure. You can play poker for fun or money, depending on the type of game and your skills.

If you’re new to the game, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the rules and hand rankings before playing for real money. Several online resources are available to help you learn the basics of poker. You can also read books and watch poker games to develop your intuitions about the game. The more you practice, the better you will become.

When it’s your turn to act, you can call, raise, or fold. Saying “call” means you will match the amount of the last player’s bet to stay in the hand. You can also raise the stakes by saying “raise.” When you raise, you add more money to the betting pool and the other players must either call or fold.

Another important part of the game is reading other players’ bets. There are subtle physical tells that can give you clues about a player’s strength, but most poker reads are based on patterns. For example, if a player doesn’t bet very often, they are likely playing pretty crappy cards. On the other hand, if a player is very aggressive and bets a lot, they are probably holding some strong cards.

The dealer deals each hand clockwise around the table. This position is usually marked with a token called the dealer button (or buck). In casinos, the dealer button passes to the next player after each hand. In casual play, the players typically pass the button to the player to their left.

Once the first betting round is complete the dealer will deal three more cards face up on the board that everyone can use. This is known as the flop. Once again, the players can check, raise or fold.

After the flop is dealt, the dealer will put a fourth card on the board that all players can use. This is the river. The final betting round takes place and the player with the best five-card hand wins the pot.

Most poker games are played with a minimum of two people. However, some are played with as few as one person. Regardless of how many players are in a game, there are a few fundamental rules that must be followed to ensure the fairness of the hand-ranking process and that the game is played fairly.