Poker is a card game of skill and chance. It is most popular in North America, where it originated. It is played in private homes, poker clubs, and in casinos. The objective is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made during a single deal. A player may win the pot by having the highest-ranking poker hand, or by making a bet that no other players call.
The game is usually played with a minimum of two players, but it can be expanded to as many as 14 people in some forms. There are different rules for each variation, but the basic principles of play remain the same. A player’s turn to bet is determined by the position to his left in the betting interval. If he does not wish to bet, he must “call” the bet of the previous active player or raise it, or he can drop out.
A player’s hand consists of his personal cards and the five community cards on the table. The best possible poker hand consists of five cards of equal rank in any suit, with three or more consecutive ranks. Other common hands are pairs (two cards of the same value) and a straight. If a player holds the same pair as another player, it is a tie. If a player has no pair or no higher ranking pair, his hand is a “no-hand” and he forfeits the right to make a bet on future deals.
