Poker is a game of skill where players try to make the best possible hand. It is played with a set of cards and chips that represent money, with the dealer assigning values to each chip.
The game begins with one or more forced bets, usually an ante (an initial amount of money to bet before being dealt any cards) or a blind bet (a smaller amount of money to bet before being dealt the first card). After these bets are made, the dealer deals the cards to each player, starting with the player to their left.
After the initial deal, a number of betting rounds may occur. These rounds involve players making a bet, putting more chips into the pot that their opponents must match, or forfeiting their hand.
Each round ends when all bets have been placed. The last player to bet wins the current pot.
A standard poker hand is composed of five cards, with each of the five cards being ranked from highest to lowest (Ace can be high or low). In some games, wild cards may be used that take on any suit and rank their possessor wishes.
Ties are broken by the higher-ranking hand. Ties are also broken by a pair of identical cards, three of a kind or a flush.
In some variations, a player can check during a betting round, meaning that they will not bet any more until another player raises their bet. Once the player who last raised their bet calls, everyone else must call or fold.