Poker is a game of chance, but it also relies on skill. It’s a card game that requires you to read your opponents’ tells—the unconscious habits of their body language that reveal information about their hand. For example, a player may fold when they have a good hand or raise their bet to deter players from calling it.

There are countless forms of poker, but most involve six to 14 players and the object is to win the “pot,” which is the aggregate sum of all bets made in one deal. This pot may be won by having the highest poker hand, or by making a bet that no other players call.

A poker hand consists of five cards. The value of a hand is in inverse proportion to its mathematical frequency; the more unusual a combination of cards, the higher the hand ranks. A full house consists of three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank, for example three jacks and two fours. A flush consists of five consecutive cards, but not necessarily from the same suit; for example Q, 10, 7, 6, and 2 of clubs.

The game is usually fast paced, and players bet on their hand continuously until either someone has all the money or they decide to fold. A player can say “raise” to add more money to the betting pool, or they can simply “call” when it comes around to them. Players can also bluff, which means they bet that they have the best hand when in reality they do not.