Poker is a card game that involves bluffing and psychology. There are many forms of the game, but most involve six to fourteen players and are played for a pot (the sum of all bets). The player with the highest hand wins the pot. The game of poker has a long history and has been influenced by culture, psychology, math, and game theory. In addition to its strategic elements, poker is a social game and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Each player has two cards and is trying to make a “hand” using those cards and the five community cards. To do this, they must make a bet (called a raise) and hope that their opponents will fold. This allows them to win the pot without showing their hands.

Once all the players have their two cards, a 5th card is dealt face up (“the turn”). This starts another round of betting. During this betting round, each player can choose to call the raise made by the player to their right, or raise their own bet.

To increase your chances of winning, it is important to study the behavior of other players and understand how they bet. You can use this knowledge to figure out how strong their hands are and if they are bluffing. You can also use it to spot aggressive players, who are likely to bet high early in a hand before seeing how other players react.