Poker is a card game played by two or more players on a table. It is a game of chance, but it also involves some psychology and skill. A good player can bluff other players and gain an advantage over them.
To begin, one or more players must make forced bets, usually an ante and/or a blind bet (sometimes both). Then the dealer shuffles and cuts the cards. Then each player gets his or her cards, beginning with the player to the right of the initial dealer. The cards may be dealt face up or down, depending on the variant being played. There are then several betting rounds, during which each player can call, raise, check, or fold. Each bet is placed into a central pot.
At the end of the final betting round, each player reveals his or her cards and evaluates his or her hand according to the rules of the particular poker variant being played. The player with the best hand wins the pot. A poker hand consists of five cards. The highest possible hand is a straight flush, which consists of five cards that all have the same suit. The second highest hand is a full house, which consists of three cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank, and the third highest is a pair. Ties are broken by looking at the highest card, and all bets are collected into the pot.
