Poker is a card game in which players wager money against each other. It is one of the most popular card games in the world. There are many different forms of poker, but they all share the same basic principles. The object of the game is to win a pot, which is the aggregate amount of all bets made during a deal. This can be done by either having the highest-ranking poker hand or by making a bet that no other player calls.
A standard pack of 52 cards is used; some games add a few wild cards. There are four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs), and the rank of a card is determined by its odds (probability). A pair of aces is a high pair; two distinct pairs make a full house; three of a kind is a straight; and five cards in sequence makes a flush. Ties are broken by the highest unmatched card.
In most cases, before a deal, one or more players must make forced bets (called an ante or blind bet). Once the antes and blinds are placed, the dealer shuffles, cuts the deck, and deals each player seven cards. This is the first of what may be several betting intervals. After each deal, players may call, raise or drop their hands. If a player declines to place any chips in the pot, they are said to have dropped; they cannot bet again until the next deal.
