Poker is a card game played by two or more players. It is a game of chance, but skill can also play a role. The object of the game is to win the pot, which is the total sum of bets placed by all players in any one deal. Players place bets by placing chips (representing money) in the center of the table. The player with the highest hand wins the pot.

Each player is dealt five cards. A Royal flush consists of an Ace, King, Queen, and Jack of the same suit. A full house is three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank, such as three eights and two fours. A flush is five consecutive cards of the same suit, such as Q, 10, 7, 6, and 2 of clubs. A straight is five cards of consecutive ranks, but not all in the same suit, such as Q, 10, 8, 7, and 6 of hearts. Three of a kind is three cards of the same rank, such as three jacks. A pair is two cards of the same rank, such as two aces or two sixes. The high card breaks ties.

A good poker player must know how to read the other players in order to maximize his chances of winning. This includes observing tells, such as: a quick blink of the eyes; a tight, uncrossed fist; a clenched jaw; a hand placed over the mouth or a smack on the lips; an increased pulse in the neck or temple; or a hand glanced at the chips. These tells are used to gauge whether the player is bluffing.