Poker is a card game with many variants, but most of them involve the same objective: making the best five-card hand. The game is played with a fixed number of cards, and a betting round occurs after each hand. The first player to make a winning hand wins the pot. Players place forced bets into the pot, called antes or blinds, before the cards are dealt. The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals them to the players one at a time, beginning with the player on their left. The cards may be dealt face up or face down, depending on the variant of poker being played.

Each player makes a bet during each betting interval, which may be raised or lowered by any player. A player can say “call” or “raise” to indicate their intention to raise or lower their bet, respectively. A player can also check, in which case they will put no money into the pot. If a player does not wish to participate in a betting interval, they can drop out of the game.

Poker has become an international phenomenon, with tournaments taking place around the world at all levels of competition. The smallest events are known as locals or weeklies, and are typically held in bars, card shops, and community centers. These tournaments bring structure to friendly competitive gatherings and allow newcomers to try their skills in a low-risk environment. They are the entry point for many players into the professional tournament circuit.