Poker is a card game that is played with two or more people. It can be played in a variety of settings, from glitzy casinos to seedy dives. It is a game of strategy and luck, but it can also be a great social activity. There are many different forms of poker, but they all have the same basic rules. The object of the game is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets placed during one deal. This may be done by having the highest-ranking hand or by raising bets that no other players call.

To begin, each player antes an amount (which varies by game) and then is dealt cards. Then, each player bets into the pot in turn. If a player does not raise their bet, they can fold their hand and collect the pot. However, if they do raise their bet, the next player must either fold or call the bet.

The highest-ranking hand wins the pot. The best hand is a full house, which consists of three matching cards of the same rank and two matching unmatched cards. A flush contains five cards of consecutive rank, but may be from more than one suit. A straight is five cards in sequence, but can be from any suits. A pair is two cards of the same rank, but can be different unmatched cards. A high card is any card that does not belong to any of the above hands.