Poker is a card game that requires strategy, skill and luck. It is a popular game in many countries and is played in casinos, homes and on television. There are many different types of poker, but they all have the same basic rules.

The first step in playing poker is learning how to read the other players’ betting patterns and reading their emotions. The more you play and watch other players, the faster and better you will get.

During each betting interval (determined by the rules of the poker variant being played), one player places chips into the pot equal to or more than the amount raised by the last player. This player is said to call the bet. If a player chooses not to call the bet, he must either fold or raise his own stake. If he does not raise his stake, he drops out of the original pot and may no longer compete for the side pots.

Once the flop, turn and river cards are dealt, the players must decide whether to continue betting for their hands or fold them. The highest hand wins the pot, which is made up of the total amount bet by all players during a single deal.

During the early 21st century, poker became increasingly popular owing to the advent of online poker and the invention of hole-card cameras that allowed viewers to see the players’ cards. In addition, broadcasts of major poker tournaments brought in large audiences.