Poker is a card game that requires both skill and chance. The most common variant of the game is Texas Hold’em, which involves a player holding two cards in his hand and five community cards (dealt face up in three stages, known as the flop, the turn, and the river). Players make bets according to their knowledge of probability, psychology, and game theory. They can also bluff to try to mislead other players.

A player who calls a raise must match it, and may even raise it further if he wishes, but cannot win more than the amount he has staked unless he has the best poker hand. This is called equalization, and it allows all players to stay in the pot until a showdown, at which time the winner gains the pot less his own total stake.

If a player is unwilling to equalize, he must fold. This is the only way that he can remain in the pot without further betting and not risk losing more than his own stake.

While it is impossible to predict a single hand’s outcome, the long-run expectations of the players can be influenced by actions chosen on the basis of probability, psychology, and game theory. The most successful poker players are able to bluff, read other players’ faces and body language, and recognize the tells of their opponents. They also have to be patient and willing to take risks in order to succeed at the game.