Poker is a card game with a strong element of chance, but it is also a game in which skill is required to win. Skill involves making decisions on the basis of probability, psychology and game theory to call or fold a hand. In the long run this leads to profitable decisions for players and can eliminate luck entirely from the game.
Before a hand begins, each player puts a fixed amount of money into the betting pool called the pot. This is sometimes called an ante or blind bet, and is usually mandatory so as to provide a monetary incentive for players to play. After the antes or blind bets are placed, the dealer shuffles and cuts. Each player is then dealt 2 cards, face down (hidden from the other players). A round of betting begins with the player to the left. After the pre-flop betting phase, 3 cards are then dealt to the center of the table, which is called the flop. A second round of betting then starts with the player to the left.
The aim of the hand is to have a high-ranked 5-card poker hand. The highest-ranked hand wins the “pot” – all the bets that have been made at each of the betting rounds. If there is a tie, the highest-ranked card breaks the tie. The players may also choose to fold their cards if they do not have a high-ranked hand. This means that they will not have to reveal their hands at the showdown.