Poker is a card game in which players compete to make the best hand. The player with the highest hand wins the pot (a collection of all the bets made by players in a round). There are many different forms of poker, but the most common include cash games and tournament play. It is important to have a strong understanding of basic probability and game theory to be successful in poker. It is also important to be able to read your opponents. This can be done by observing their betting patterns and watching for tells. A tell is a habit that reveals information about the player’s hand, and can be as simple as a change in posture or gesture.

During a game of poker, players bet by raising or folding their cards. A player can also check, which means that they pass on the option to bet. Once everyone has their cards, they show them to the other players.

The dealer shuffles the cards, then deals each player five cards. These may be face up or down, depending on the type of poker being played. After the deal, the first round of betting begins.

The most valuable hands in poker are four of a kind and a straight flush. A straight is five consecutive cards of the same suit, and can include the ace. A full house consists of three matching cards of one rank, and two matching cards of another. Two pair consists of two cards of the same rank, and two other unmatched cards. If two players have the same hand, the highest high card breaks the tie.