Poker is a card game of chance and psychology (and bluffing). It requires more luck than any other card game, but it also involves a significant amount of skill. When a player bets, it is because they believe their bet has positive expected value or because they are trying to bluff other players for various strategic reasons. While much of the game is dependent on chance, it becomes a much more complex and interesting endeavor when betting takes place.
After the cards are dealt, the player to the left of the dealer begins betting. Each player may choose to call the bet or raise it, depending on the rules of the game. If a player raises, they must put into the pot at least as many chips as the player before them. If they cannot, they must drop out of the hand.
In poker, the highest ranked hand wins the pot, which is all of the money that has been bet during the hand. In most cases, this is the hand with four of the same rank and a matching suit, such as a royal flush or a straight. In rare cases, a higher pair will win the pot. If no hand is deemed to be the highest, the person who raised the most during the betting phases is the winner. This is called being the king of the table.