Poker is a card game played between two or more players and involves betting. It is one of the few games where a large component of the outcome depends on luck, but it also requires knowledge of probability and psychology. Many different strategies exist for the game, but the most successful players make decisions based on their understanding of probability, game theory and other players at the table.
The game is played from a standard pack of 52 cards, with some variants adding jokers or other special cards. There are four suits, and the highest card wins; in case of a tie, the highest card breaks it. Typical hands include high pair (two distinct pairs of cards), three of a kind, straight, flush and one pair. Some games may also have special hands, such as five of a kind (Ace-King-Jack-Queen-King).
There are several types of bets, but in general only the first player to act places a forced bet. After that, each player can either call the bet by putting in an equal amount of chips or raise it. The money that has been bet is called the pot.
After each round of betting, the remaining players must show their cards and the best hand will win the pot. However, it is rare that all players are still holding a hand by the end of the final betting rounds, as most will have folded their cards and the best remaining hands will be considered dead.