Poker is one of the most popular card games in the world. The game has a long history and it continues to evolve. There are many different ways to play poker and each game has a unique setting. The game can be played with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more players. The object is to win the pot, which consists of all the bets placed during a single hand. There are many different rules for each game, but some basic principles apply to all.
A player begins the betting by contributing a small amount of money (the amount varies by game) to the pot. This is called the ante. When the betting gets around to you, you can say “call” to match the latest bet or “raise” to add more money to the pot. If no one calls you, you may fold your cards.
The dealer then deals two cards face down to each player. These are your hole cards. After the initial betting round, the dealer puts three more cards on the table that everyone can see. These are called community cards and they can be used by anyone to make a poker hand. There is another round of betting and the highest poker hand wins the pot.
A standard pack of 52 cards is used in poker, with some games adding jokers or other wild cards. The cards are ranked as follows: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 7, 6, 5, 4 and 3. A pair of kings beats any other poker hand except a straight flush.