Poker is a card game in which players wager chips (representing money) and compete for a pot. It has a high degree of luck, but skill is also an important element. Players can minimize losses with poor hands and maximize winnings with good ones by bluffing.

There are dozens of poker variations, from the well-known Texas Hold ’Em and Stud to less familiar games like Omaha, Draw and Badugi. All have slightly different rules, but most involve betting. Players place an initial contribution, called a blind or ante, before they receive their cards. Then, in turn, each player may either call a bet (putting into the pot the same number of chips as the player to his left) or raise it. A player who cannot raise the bet must drop his hand and forfeit his contributions to the pot.

While the basic rules are easy to learn, it takes practice to play successfully. Reading tells, the body language and expressions that reveal a player’s true intentions, is crucial. Shallow breathing, sighing, flaring nostrils, blinking rapidly and an intense gaze are all signs that a player is nervous or afraid. A player who glances at his chips is often bluffing. Other tells include placing a hand over the mouth or squinting to conceal a smile. Players who have a strong hand usually tuck their cards in close to their bodies. A weaker hand will have the cards laid out in the open to make it easier for other players to read.