Poker is a card game in which players make wagers using the cards they have. The object is to win the pot by having the best hand at showdown. A player’s best hand is a pair of identical cards, or three of a kind. The best pair beats any other combination, including a straight, flush or full house.

While some poker games can be beaten with skill, most of the game’s winnings are won through chance. A high percentage of hands have a negative expectation, meaning that the player will lose more than they win. This makes it hard to make a profit in the long run.

Experts in poker use various strategies to exploit their opponents. They use behavioral dossiers on their opponents, collecting and even buying records of their betting behavior (hand histories). They also employ sophisticated software to calculate odds for them.

Besides money, there’s another thing at stake in a poker game: pride. To admit to oneself that an opponent is stronger, smarter or just plain better than you is a humbling experience. Consequently, the poker mind goes to extraordinary lengths to hide its weaknesses from itself.

The poker game has a reputation for being male-dominated, and it was once common for women to be excluded from tournaments. But the industry has made some progress, and today it’s possible to find female poker stars competing in major events. The progress is a tribute to the game itself and to the people who support it.