Poker is a card game for two to six players, played with chips (representing money) that are placed in the pot before each deal. Players aim to make the best five-card hand possible using a combination of their own two cards and the community cards. Each player bets according to the rules of the particular poker variant being played. The first player to place a bet must make it at least equal to the total contribution of the player before him in the pot.

Poker strategy involves an understanding of probability, psychology and game theory. It also requires a willingness to bluff other players. This may be done to extract a high expected value from the game or to disrupt the equilibrium of the game by forcing players to make uneconomic decisions. Regardless of the specific outcome of any individual hand, a skilled poker player can expect to win more hands than a less-skilled one over the long run.

Poker tournaments are a form of competition where players are grouped into brackets based on their perceived skill level. Players are usually ranked from the most to least skilled and assigned to a bracket accordingly. This is known as seeding and helps prevent players with similar skill levels from playing each other early on in the tournament. It also helps ensure that the tournament is balanced and fair for all players. Seeding is typically determined by trusted members of the poker community based on their knowledge of players’ performances at other events.