The game of poker is a card-based table game played between two or more players. The cards are dealt clockwise around the table, and each player has the option to call (match a previous bet), raise, or fold his or her hand. The player with the highest hand wins the pot. It is important to know which hands beat what and how to read a poker betting chart. This will help you make decisions quickly and avoid wasting money on bad hands.

It is also important to remember that bluffing is less common than you might think, especially in high-stakes games. It is usually best to play your strongest hands and avoid bluffing when you have a weak one. However, bluffing can be a powerful strategy when used correctly and on occasion can lead to big pots.

Each betting interval, or round, starts with a player making a bet of one or more chips. Then each player to his or her left must either “call” by putting the same amount into the pot as the last raiser, or raise his or her own bet. A player who does not want to call or raise may “drop” (“fold”).

After all players have placed their bets, they reveal their hands and the winner takes the pot. In the event of a tie, the tied players share the pot equally. If no one has a winning hand, the pot is collected by the dealer.