Poker is a card game played by many people. It is often seen as a game of chance, but it involves a lot of planning and thinking. Poker is a great way to socialize with friends or meet new people. It also requires a lot of observation and attention to detail. It is a great way to learn how to read body language.

In poker, players must place a small bet into the pot before they are dealt cards. This bet is called the ante. The player who puts in the most money during a hand wins the pot.

When a player has all the cards of a certain rank, they have a full house. This is a very good hand. A flush contains cards of consecutive ranks in one suit, and a straight contains 5 cards that skip around in rank but are all from the same suit.

The divide between break-even beginner players and big-time winners is not as wide as some believe, and much of it has to do with learning to view poker in a more cold, calculated, mathematical, and logical way than most beginners do. They must also be able to handle losing and learn from it.

In addition, a successful poker player must be able to assess the quality of their own hands and understand how to play against other players. A strong poker strategy is developed over time through detailed self-examination and through discussing strategy with other players.