Poker is a game of skill that requires players to read their opponents, predict the odds, and keep a cool demeanor. It is an international card game that can be played in clubs, restaurants, and casinos.

Poker uses chips to make bets, which are then counted in order to determine the winner of each hand. In some games, players can exchange their chips for cash at the end of a game.

The game begins with each player taking a pack of cards and dealing them in rotation to the left, one at a time face-up until a jack is dealt. The player who received the jack becomes the first dealer and takes the right to deal each subsequent hand.

Betting rounds occur in a clockwise sequence, with each betting interval beginning when a player makes a bet. The player to the left must then either “call” (put into the pot the same number of chips as the previous player) or “raise.” A player may also “drop,” which means they do not put any chips into the pot and do not continue to play in the next betting interval.

Each round of betting ends with a showdown. Each player takes turns revealing their cards, and the player with the best five-card hand wins the pot.

There are many variations of poker, including draw and stud, which use different decks of cards. Some of these variations have a higher minimum bet than others, and some use different rules for betting intervals.