Poker is a card game in which players make bets on their cards. The object is to get as many chips as possible from the other players.

There are hundreds of different poker variants. Most games have a standard 52-card deck with four suits. Each player is dealt a complete hand. In most games, the highest-ranking hand wins the pot.

During the initial stages of the game, the players bet a certain amount of money into the pot. Once all but one player has folded, the remaining player collects the pot.

There are several betting rounds. Players bet in an order determined by the dealer. If there are more than one player in the pot, a showdown is held to determine the winning hand.

A bet may be raised or a player may bet outright. Normally, the maximum amount allowed for a bet is determined by the poker variant. However, some games allow bets regardless of the hand.

Throughout the game, cards are dealt clockwise. After each round, a betting interval occurs. This is when the dealer cuts cards and the active players can check or raise.

The dealer deals the first three community cards face up. After the fourth betting interval, the hole cards are revealed. These are the hole cards that the player will use in forming their hand.

A hand is considered a pair if the two cards in it are of the same rank. Two pairs are better than a single pair. Other types of hands are a full house, three of a kind, or four of a kind.