Poker is a card game played by two or more players and involves betting. It is a member of the gambling family of games and can be found worldwide. While many games differ in rules and number of cards dealt, they all share the same general principle of wagering on a winning hand.
Poker can be very competitive, especially when the stakes are high. There is a lot at stake in the game, including money, pride and ego. Many players will go to great lengths to avoid admitting that they might be weaker than their opponent. This is because poker is steeped in machismo, and to lose a hand against a superior opponent can be a crushing blow to the fragile ego of the player.
Successful poker players can remain calm in all situations and are able to focus on their opponents. This allows them to read their opponents and make the correct decisions most of the time.
In the modern game, players usually use poker chips to represent their bets and raises. Each chip is worth a specific amount of money, depending on the color and value. A white chip is worth a single unit of ante or bet, while red chips are worth five units. Each player must buy in for a certain amount before any betting can take place. When a player raises, the other players must either call his bet or fold. If they call, they must increase their total stake by the amount of money that has been raised so far in the pot. This is known as equalization.