Poker is a card game that requires a combination of chance and skill. There are many different variations of the game, but they all share the same basic rules. The game is played from a standard deck of 52 cards, with one or more jokers (or wild cards) depending on the variant.
The game is a betting game, and players place chips into the pot to indicate their intention to raise, call or fold. The player who raises the most money during a betting interval wins the pot. Players may also make an all-in bet, where they place all of their remaining chips into the pot. The all-in bet has special rules governing how it works, depending on the variant of poker being played.
After the ante, players are dealt 5 cards, and there is a round of betting for each card. The first three cards are known as the flop, and the final card is called the river. The best five-card hand wins the pot, which consists of all the bets made in each round.
A straight is five consecutive cards of the same rank, such as AK-QJT-9 down to 5432A. When straights tie, the highest card breaks the tie. A flush is four cards of the same suit, such as J-8-5-3-2. When flushes tie, they are broken by high card.
A pair is two matching cards, such as KK-QJ or J-8-5-3-2. When pairs tie, the higher-ranked pair wins the hand.
