Poker is a card game in which players place bets on the strength of their hands. It is played between two or more players and may be a card game with fixed limits on betting, or open-ended where players may raise or fold their hands after each bet. It is often described as a game of chance, but expert players use knowledge of probability, psychology and game theory to maximise their expected winnings.
There are many different variations of poker, but most share certain features. For example, all games involve a set of cards and chips; players bet on the strength of their hands; and there are forced bets that must be made by some players. These bets can be either pre-flop or post-flop. Other features of the game include the number of cards in a hand, the ability to bluff, and the fact that a winning hand beats a losing hand.
Cash games are the most common form of poker. They are fast-paced, and players typically bet until one player has all the money at the table or everyone folds. Players can also “check” at the beginning of a new round to pass their turn to bet.
Tournaments are a type of competition in which the winner is determined by the combined results of individual matches or rounds. They are popular in sports, esports, and board games where each match is limited to a small number of competitors.