Poker is a card game that can be played by two or more players. The object of the game is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made during a hand. A player may choose to call, raise, or fold. Each player must make a decision based on probability, psychology, and game theory. While poker does involve a significant amount of chance, skill tends to dominate over the long run.
There are many different forms of poker, and each has its own rules. However, all poker games use a standard 52-card deck, with some adding one or more jokers (wild cards). The cards are ranked from high to low: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 7, 6, 4, 3, and 2. A pair is two matching cards of the same rank. A straight is five consecutive cards of the same suit. A flush is five consecutive cards of any suit. A full house is three matching cards of one rank and two unmatched cards of another rank. A straight flush is a pair and a four of a kind and a full house.
In most poker games, a player must place an initial bet (amount varies by game) to get dealt cards. Once the betting cycle begins, players place bets into the pot in a clockwise direction. If a player bets more than the previous person, they are said to raise. If they bet less than the previous player, they are said to call. If a player doesn’t want to bet, they can say “check”; however, no other player can call a check.