The game of poker is a card game where players compete against each other for an amount contributed by all players (called the pot). The game has an element of skill, as players attempt to minimize their losses with poor hands and maximize their winnings with strong ones. In addition, the game has social and psychological components.

Depending on the rules of a particular game, some players may be required to pay an initial contribution, called an ante, to start play. This amount can be either a fixed amount or a percentage of the total pot value. Some games have side pots where players can wager on their own hand or make a raise when it is not their turn to act. Players who have a good hand should show it to speed up play.

In most games, the cards are dealt from a standard pack of 52 cards. Some variant games also use one or two jokers as wild cards. Normally, the highest card wins. There are four suits, spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs; each suit has its own rank, from high to low. Some games have additional ranks such as dueces or one-eyed jacks.

In many casinos, the white chips are assigned a low value of $1. Generally, other color chips are assigned higher values. The value of a chip is not always the same throughout all casinos or poker rooms, but there are conventions in place that most players understand.