Poker is a card game in which players place bets to win a pot of chips. There are many different variants of the game, but all share some fundamental principles.

The game can be played by 2 to 14 players, and a round of betting is initiated when all players receive their two hole cards. The first player to act raises the bet, known as putting their chips into the pot. This is followed by the rest of the players, and they may either call or fold. Players can also choose to check, which means that they will not raise the bet, and they will wait for other players to act.

When a player has a strong hand, they can bet to force other players to fold and make a higher profit. A strong hand can be made from high cards, a pair, or three of a kind. A full house consists of 3 matching cards of one rank and 2 matching cards of another rank. A straight is 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. A flush is 5 cards of any rank.

A strong poker game involves learning a variety of skills, including probability calculations and strategy. It can also help develop a stronger sense of discipline and focus. However, there are some parts of the game that are often overlooked. For example, tells are important in high-bet poker, but they are less so in limit games. Annie argues that it is easy to fall into the trap of what she calls “resulting,” which is starting with an outcome and working backwards to either validate or lambast the decisions that led to that result.