Poker is a card game of chance. It is played with a standard deck of 52 cards and can be played by 2 or more players. It has many variants and is one of the oldest games in existence, with origins dating back to ancient times. It is believed to be the ancestor of other card games such as blackjack and rummy.

In most cases, the player who has the highest ranked hand when the hands are revealed wins the pot – all of the money that has been bet during the hand. In some cases, a player may choose not to place his hand in the pot. The decision to do this is known as dropping or folding.

When you’re new to poker, it’s best to play relatively tight and avoid playing crazy hands. As you gain experience, open your hand ranges up and mix your play more. You can find pre-flop range charts online to help you learn.

The players in a poker game buy in for a set number of chips. The value of each chip depends on the poker variant being played. Usually, a white chip is worth the minimum ante or bet amount; a red chip is worth five whites; and a blue chip is worth 10 whites. The player to the left of the button is known as the dealer, and he has the option to make the first bet or raise it.