Poker is a card game played by a group of people sitting around a table. Each player has chips that they can bet with, and the object of the game is to have the highest ranked hand when all betting is finished. The winner of the hand is awarded the pot, which is the sum of all bets placed during that particular deal. The amount of the bets can vary from one hand to the next, depending on what the players are trying to achieve with their hand.
Poker can be played with any number of cards, but usually consists of 52 cards plus a joker or wild card. The standard deck includes the four suits of spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. The ace is the highest card, and the other cards are in descending order from there.
The rules of poker vary slightly between games, but there are some common principles that apply to all. In general, the dealer deals each person a hand of cards and then takes turns betting on their hands. When a player has a good hand, they can raise their bets and potentially force other players to fold. A good poker player will also bluff from time to time, which can be a useful strategy for winning the pot.
In the case of a tie, the high card wins the hand. If no high card is present, the highest pair wins. High pairs consist of two distinct cards of the same rank.