Poker is a card game that has been played for centuries in many different countries. It is a fast-paced game with many betting intervals. The game can be played by two to fourteen players, but it is most often played with 6 or 7 players. There are several different poker variants, but they all have the same basic rules. In most forms, the object of the game is to win the pot, which consists of all bets made during a single deal. The player may win the pot by having a high-ranking poker hand or by making a bet that no other player calls.
Each player is dealt 2 cards face-down (hidden from the other players). The first betting phase is called the pre-flop. Then 3 cards are dealt face-up (revealed to all players) at the center of the table, called the flop. The next betting phase is called the post-flop. The players can now use the flop and the pre-flop to build their poker hands.
A poker hand consists of any combination of five cards. It is possible to have more than one poker hand at a time, but only the highest poker hand wins the pot. The rank of a poker hand is determined by the number and value of the cards in it. For example, a pair of kings beats a three-of-a-kind, but not a four-of-a-kind.
Some Poker games have blind bets that are placed before each player is dealt their cards. These bets can either replace the ante or be in addition to it. When a player is in the pot, they can check, raise, or call.