The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game that involves betting between two or more players. It is one of the most popular ways to spend time both online and in brick-and-mortar casinos. The rules of poker vary, but all games involve betting and a shared pool of chips (the pot). The goal is to win the pot by having the highest-ranking hand according to that game’s rules.

Before the cards are dealt, one or more players must place forced bets into the pot, known as an ante or blind bet. Then the dealer shuffles the cards, and each player cuts the deck. Then the cards are dealt, usually face-down but sometimes face-up, starting with the player to the left of the dealer.

After the initial deal, the first of many betting rounds begins. In a round, each player must decide to either call the bet (put into the pot at least as many chips as the preceding player) or raise it. If a player is unwilling to call or raise, they must fold their hand and forfeit any chips that have been placed into the pot already.

The best poker hands are a royal flush (Ace, King, Queen, Jack) and a straight flush (5 cards in sequence of rank but from more than one suit). Three of a kind is made up of three matching cards of the same rank. A pair is two cards of the same rank and another unmatched card.