Poker is a card game in which players wager chips and compete to make the best hand. It is played with a standard 52-card deck, although there are several variations that use alternative cards. Players aim to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made during any one deal. This may be done by having the highest-ranking hand or by making a bet that no other player calls. Players may also try to win by bluffing, betting that they have a superior hand while in reality having a weaker one.
In most forms of the game, players must place an initial amount of money into the pot before the cards are dealt. This is called an ante, blind or bring-in. These bets are compulsory for every player at the table, and they form the foundation of the game’s betting structure.
Once the cards are dealt, each player takes turns betting clockwise until someone else raises on their hand. Alternatively, a player may choose to check (pass on their turn), in which case they must call any bet raised on that hand by another player.
A winning hand consists of five cards in sequence or rank, with the ace being the highest. This can be a straight, a flush or a three of a kind. In the event of a tie, the higher unmatched card wins. A pair consists of two cards of the same rank, or two unmatched cards of different ranks.