Poker is a card game in which players wager chips (representing money) on the outcome of a deal. It is considered a game of skill, and strategy and bluffing are important. It is played in casinos, private games, and on the Internet. It has become one of the most popular card games in the world.
The game can be played with two to 14 players, although the ideal number is six or seven. Depending on the variant being played, each player may call or raise the bet placed by the player before him, or fold his hand and forfeit any rights to the pot. The goal is to win the pot, which is the total amount of bets placed in a single deal.
Once all players have their 2 hole cards there is a round of betting, initiated by 2 mandatory bets called blinds put into the pot by the two players to the left of the dealer. Once the players have matched these bets or folded their hands 1 more card is dealt face up in the center of the table, this is known as the flop.
The highest value hand wins. This can be a straight, a flush, or three of a kind. A straight is 5 consecutive cards of the same suit; for example, ace, king, queen, and deuce. A flush is 4 of a kind of the same rank. For example, four aces. A pair is two cards of the same rank; for example, two sixes.