Poker is a card game that involves betting. It can also involve bluffing, where players bet that they have the best hand and other players call or fold. It is a game of chance, but it also has elements of skill, psychology and game theory.

The game is played with a standard 52-card English deck of cards. The cards are shuffled before each player is dealt two cards. There are several rounds of betting, which start with the player to the left of the dealer. Each round has a different number of forced bets called blind bets, depending on the rules of the game.

In some cases, there is an optional additional bet, known as the ante. This bet is made before the first round of betting begins. The ante can be raised during the betting phase, but only if every player at the table calls or raises it.

After the flop, the players reveal their remaining cards and the winner is determined. This is a crucial part of the game, as it allows for more strategic decisions.

During this phase, it is important to focus on the characters and how they react to the cards that are dealt. It is also helpful to include tells, which are unconscious habits that reveal information about a player’s hands. These can be as simple as a change in posture or gesture. These can add to the suspense and make the story more interesting for readers.