Poker is a popular card game that has several variations. Players begin by anteing an amount, which is different from game to game. Once everyone has been dealt their cards, players place bets into a central pot. The player with the best hand wins the pot, which is the money bet by the players during the hand. Bets are placed clockwise and continue until everyone either calls or folds. The object of the game is to win more money than the other players.

In the standard version, players have five cards that form a hand. These five cards are known as hands. These hands are then ranked high to low, with the highest pair being higher. A second pair of four of a kind, with or without a high card, breaks ties. Similarly, a flush is any three-of-a-kind or higher. When both of these hands are of the same rank, the winning hand is determined by the highest one of the three.

The game of poker begins when all players contribute a predetermined starting stake into the pot. Players are then dealt one card each, face down and face up. Then, players can raise their stake by adding more chips to the pot. The player can also raise his stake by calling an opponent’s bet. The amount of money a player has to raise is determined by the house rules. This means that the pot is larger than the player’s available funds.