Poker is a card game that can be played socially for pennies or professionally for thousands of dollars. It is widely believed that poker is primarily a game of luck, but a growing number of studies suggest that it involves significant skill as well.

The game is played with one or more cards face down and a set of mandatory bets made by the players to the left of each player, known as the blinds. Each player then makes a decision to call, raise, or fold. The best hand wins the pot, or at least the amount of money bet on that round.

After the first betting interval, another card is dealt face up – this is called the “turn.” This can make or break a hand. Players can now judge the strength of their own hand and compare it with that of their opponents, based on betting patterns.

A player can choose to call if they believe their hand is stronger than an opponent’s, or they can raise the bet to tempt their opponent into matching them. They can also go All-In, which is an extremely effective strategy if they have a strong hand and want to apply pressure.

There is also a chance of a tie, which can happen if two players have the same hand rank. If this occurs, the pot is split. This is because the “kicker” (the highest card in the higher pair) determines the winner.