Poker is a card game played between two or more players. It is a game of chance, but it is also a game that requires skill, luck, and psychology. The goal of the game is to form a winning hand based on card rankings, and to win the pot at the end of the betting rounds. Each player contributes to the pot voluntarily, based on his or her own assessment of expected value. Players can also bluff for strategic reasons.

A player must have at least one white chip to play the game, and can add additional chips as he or she chooses. A white chip is worth a fixed amount, which is usually the minimum ante. Other colored chips are used to represent different amounts, depending on the poker variant. A blue chip is worth ten whites, for example, and red chips are often worth twenty or more.

During the first round of betting, players are dealt two cards each. They must use these and the five community cards to make a poker hand during the second round of betting, called the “flop.” A player can also exchange any of his or her own cards for other ones, depending on the rules of the game.

A beginner should always start at the lowest stakes possible, so that he or she can learn the game with a minimum of risk. In addition, playing at the low end of the stakes helps a newcomer avoid donating money to stronger players while learning the game.