Poker is a card game that involves betting between two or more players. The aim is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made in a single round. This is achieved either by having the best poker hand or by bluffing successfully. Poker can be played by 2 to 14 players, although in most forms the ideal number is between 6 and 8 players.
There are various rules for how the cards are dealt and the betting is structured, depending on the type of poker being played. A dealer is assigned to shuffle the cards and deal them to the players, one at a time. The dealer is usually a player, but non-players may also be dealers in some games. A chip is passed around to designate who is dealer for a given round, and the dealer may change after each round if there are rules requiring it.
After each player has received their two hole cards, a round of betting begins. This is usually preceded by a pair of mandatory bets called blinds, which are put into the pot by the two players to the left of the dealer.
Once the first round of betting has finished, 1 more card is dealt face up. This is known as the flop. Players now have seven cards with which to create their best poker hand: the two in their own hands plus the five community cards on the table.