Poker is played with a standard pack of 52 cards (although some games use more, add jokers, or otherwise alter the card rank order). The highest hand wins. Ties are broken by the highest unmatched card or secondary pairs (three of a kind and straights).

The ante is a small bet all players must place into the pot before a hand starts. The ante can be raised during a hand or folded and is a crucial part of the game. It’s important to learn the rules of Poker before you begin playing for real.

As a general rule, weak hands are easy to read and strong hands are difficult to read. However, there are no guarantees and it’s best to study a player for awhile before trying to determine their tells. A good way to do this is to watch a showdown between two opponents. The more you watch, the better you’ll become at spotting tells.

During the betting round before a showdown, the dealer deals three cards face-up to the table that are community cards anyone can use, called the flop. After a second betting round, the fifth card is dealt on the river, which is also open to everyone’s use. After the final betting round, players reveal their cards and the winner is declared. If any players went all-in, the main pot is split between them and any side pots that were created. The remaining players then compete for the side pots and any other pots that were created during the hand.