Poker is a card game that involves betting, and a significant amount of psychology and skill. It challenges players to manage risk, bluff convincingly and read their opponents’ tells. It also encourages them to embrace uncertainty, as the outcome of a hand is often determined by chance.

There are many different forms of poker, but they all share a common set of rules. Each player places chips (representing money) into a pot at the start of each betting interval. The highest-ranking poker hand wins the pot. If a player cannot make a winning hand, they may choose to fold. Alternatively, they may call the final raise and reveal their hand.

The game was likely invented in the 19th century, and became popular among riverboat crews on the Mississippi. It spread to the rest of the United States, and became a fixture in Wild West saloons. The game was eventually introduced to Europe, where it became a popular casino game.

The game is played with a standard 52-card pack, with some variants adding extra cards. There are four suits – spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs – but no suit ranks higher than another. Ties are broken by the highest unmatched card, or a pair of distinct cards. Some games also have wild cards, which can take on whatever rank and suit the possessor wishes. They are sometimes used as jokers, but more frequently they are designated by the specific game’s rules.