Poker is a card game in which players bet money, called chips, on the outcome of a hand. There are many different forms of poker, but most share some of the same basic rules and betting structures. The object of the game is to win the pot, which consists of all the bets made during a single deal. The pot may be won by having the highest-ranking poker hand or by making a bet that no other player calls.
During each betting interval, or round, the player designated by the rules of the specific poker variant begins the first bet. Each player must either call that bet, putting into the pot at least as many chips as the player before them, or raise it. If a player raises, the others must either call the new bet or fold.
After the first betting phase, which is known as the pre-flop, 3 cards are dealt face up in the center of the table and revealed to all players. These are the community cards. Each player has 2 personal cards in their hands and must use the community cards to make a poker hand of 5 cards.
A player can choose not to reveal their poker hand at any time, but this means that they cannot win the pot. A player may also choose to stay in the game after all of the other players have folded, but this will usually mean that they lose their entire stake for the round.