Poker is a card game played between two or more players. The game has many variants, but in general it is a betting game where the goal is to make the best 5-card hand. The game is played using a standard 52-card deck. Each player begins the game with 2 hidden cards called hole or pocket, which they will use to build their hand. A round of betting begins after each card is dealt, with the player to the left making a bet. A player may choose to call a bet by putting the same amount of chips into the pot, raise a bet by raising the same number of chips as the last player, or drop (fold) if they do not want to continue playing.
While the outcome of any specific hand of Poker involves a large degree of chance, expert players are able to maximize their expected winnings over the long run. They do this by acting on knowledge of probability, psychology, and game theory.
For example, they might bluff with a strong value hand when they expect their opponents to overthink and arrive at wrong conclusions about their chances of making a good hand, or they might try to trap their opponents by slowplaying a weak hand that they think will get better as they bet more. But trying to outwit your opponents can often backfire — as it can in life, where overconfidence can lead you to overreach or lie in a job interview.