Poker is a card game played by two or more players and is based on chance. The game has a large element of luck, but the long term results are mostly dependent on skill. The most successful players combine knowledge of poker strategy, psychology and game theory to achieve success.

The rules of poker differ between game variants, but there are some general principles. Before the cards are dealt, each player must place an initial amount of money into the pot. This is called an ante, blind or bring-in, depending on the game.

Once the cards are dealt, each player must decide whether to play his hand or fold it. The best hand wins the pot. The basic hands are pairs, three of a kind, four of a kind and straights. A pair is made up of two matching cards, a three of a kind has three cards of the same rank (but different suits) and a straight has five consecutive cards of the same suit.

When it’s your turn to act, you can say “call” or “I call” to make a bet equal to the one before you. You can also raise your bet to make the pot larger. Being last to act gives you a better idea of your opponent’s hand strength and makes it harder for them to bluff against you. You can use this to your advantage by calling if you have a strong value hand or raising if you have a weak hand to get a good price on your bets.