Poker is a card game that can be played by two or more players. It involves betting on the strength of your hand against those of other players, and bluffing is often used. There are many different variations of the game, but most involve a standard 52-card pack and chips (representing money) for bets. The goal is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made in a deal. This can be done by having the highest ranking poker hand, or by bluffing and scaring your opponents into surrendering their cards.
Most games of poker require players to put down money before playing, which is called a buy-in. The player that wins the most money over several rounds of betting is the winner. This player may also agree with the other players in the table to share the remaining money at the end of the game.
Each deal of poker includes one or more betting intervals, depending on the variant of the game being played. In each betting interval, one player, as designated by the rules of the game, has either the privilege or obligation to make the first bet. This player then places in the pot the number of chips (representing money, for which poker is almost always played) that is at least equal to the amount placed in the pot by the player who has just preceded him.
The player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot and all the money in it. The best poker hands include a straight (5 cards in order, such as 5-6-7-8-9), a flush (6 of the same suit), and an ace high straight-flush (A-K-Q-J-T).