Poker is a card game that involves betting between two or more players. The object of the game is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made by players. The pot can be won either by having the highest-ranking poker hand or by making a bet that no one else calls.

Each player buys in for a certain number of chips. Typically, a white chip is worth the minimum ante or bet amount; a red chip is worth five whites; and a blue chip is worth ten or more whites. Players can also purchase other colored chips, which are worth various amounts.

A good poker player can often tell what his opponent has in a hand by reading their behavior at the table. While this can be difficult in live poker, it becomes easier with online play as you can analyze an opponent’s behavior over time. For example, you might notice that a player always raises the pot when he has a strong hand.

Regardless of whether you are playing for fun or as a professional, you should only ever play poker with money that you can afford to lose. Leaving your ego at the door and only playing against players that you can beat is key to making a profit in this mentally intensive game.