Poker is a card game where players independently try to assemble the most valuable hand of cards, traditionally to win cash (or poker chips). The game has many variants and was probably inspired by games from different parts of the world. It has become a global phenomenon and an important part of American culture.
The game can be played by two or more people. The goal is to make the highest-ranking five-card poker hand, or “pot,” at the end of a betting round. Each player contributes an amount to the pot, called an ante or blind bet. During the betting phase, each player can choose to call, raise or fold his or her hand. A winning pot is the total amount of all raised bets.
Each player has hidden information in his or her poker hand, but it is not fully known until the betting is over and the players reveal their hands. Then the winner takes his or her chips and everyone else antes into the pot for another deal.
The best poker players are able to extract the most value from their winning hands while minimising losses on losing hands. They do this by bluffing, raising their bets when they have a good hand and folding when they have a weak one. The strategy is called MinMax, meaning Minimise losses – Maximise wins. This is a key component to becoming a profitable poker player.