Poker is a family of card games that combines skill, strategy and luck. Players wager over which hand is best according to the specific game's ranking system. Popular poker variants include Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud and many others. In most games players are dealt private cards and share community cards, and rounds of betting occur where players may fold, call, raise, or check.
Key elements of poker are hand selection, position, pot odds, reading opponents, and bankroll management. Bluffing — making opponents believe you have a stronger or weaker hand than you actually do — is an essential tactical tool. Poker can be played casually among friends, in tournaments, or in cash-game formats.
Whether you're playing for fun or competitively, the game rewards careful decision-making and emotional control. If you'd like, visit the links above to learn about two other classic trick-taking and comparing card games.