Poker is a card game that involves betting and a lot of psychology. The objective is to win money by executing the most profitable actions (raise or fold) based on the information available.
There are many different types of poker, but all share the same basic rules. In order to play you need a pack of 52 cards. A standard poker deck includes the ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.
The game is played with one or more players around a table. Each player puts an ante or blind bet before the cards are dealt. Then the dealer shuffles and cuts the cards. The player on the left of the dealer becomes the first dealer. Ties are broken by a repeat deal.
Once the shuffling and cutting are done, each player receives two cards face down. Then the dealer deals a third card face up, called the flop. Then the player places a bet in accordance with the rules of the particular poker variant being played.
A poker hand consists of five cards and is judged by its rank. The higher the hand, the more likely it is to win. Each hand is placed in a category, and any hand in a higher category beats a lower hand. Depending on the game there may also be side pots. For example, a player that bets more on the flop than his opponent will lose his right to any side pot that he was involved in.