Poker is a card game in which players place chips (representing money) into a pot before betting on their hands. The player with the best 5-card hand wins all the money in the pot. Players may also bet without holding a hand, or fold.
Players begin each round with an initial contribution, called an ante, into the pot, and then they are dealt 2 cards face-down (hidden from other players). A betting phase begins with the player to the left of the big blind. After the pre-flop betting phase, 3 cards are revealed at the center of the table and become community cards. Another betting phase begins with the player to the left.
A player can bet more or less than his or her chip total, or he or she can make an all-in bet. There are special rules for how this works, depending on the particular variant of Poker being played.
Minimizing losses with bad hands and maximizing winnings with good ones is the core of skill in poker. Thinking of decisions as bets and training in probability theory help players to improve their chances of making the right call. This, in turn, improves their chances of getting better hands and earning more winnings. This cycle is what keeps poker challenging despite its ever-growing popularity and the emergence of a number of online resources that aim to teach the game.