The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game in which players bet on the outcome of their hand. It is played in a variety of ways with different numbers of cards and rules, but the basic idea remains the same: each player has two personal cards (hole cards) plus five community cards on the table that form a complete poker hand. The object is to win the pot, the sum of all bets made in a single round. Players can win the pot with a high-ranking poker hand or by betting successfully on other hands without holding a good one themselves.

Poker games generally require a forced bet at the beginning of each hand, usually called an ante or blind bet. Players must then bluff to make strong hands, or fold their hand when it is weak.

A standard pack of 52 cards is used for poker, and the rank of each card (from highest to lowest) is Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 (or, in some games, wild cards or jokers). The best poker hand is a pair of distinct cards. A high card is used to break ties.

The turn to act in a poker game passes clockwise around the table. When it is your turn, you can choose to call (match the bet of the person to your right) or raise the stakes by raising your bet. If you do not want to bet, you can Fold your hand and forfeit the round.