The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game for two or more players. It is played with a standard deck of 52 cards and has different variants. The object of the game is to win a pot of money by having the highest hand. Players may bet against each other, or against the dealer. In some cases, players may also bluff by raising or dropping bets.

Each player starts with 2 cards face-down (hidden from other players). These are known as a player’s hole or pocket cards. Depending on the game rules, there may be an initial bet called an ante or blinds put into the pot before each player receives their cards. After the first round of betting, 3 cards are dealt face up in the center of the table. These are called the flop. A new round of betting begins with the player to the left of the big blind.

After all players have shown their hands, the winner is determined by whoever has the best 5-card hand. Sometimes, there is a tie among players with the best hands and the pot is shared among them.

Some games have Wild Cards, which can take the place of any other card in a hand and can be used to break ties. Typical poker hands include: high cards, pairs, flushes, straights, and three of a kind. The high card breaks ties. The best pair wins ties with two distinct pairs of cards, for example, the best pair of sixes.