In a game of poker, the goal is to win the pot by obtaining as many high-ranking cards as possible. The highest-ranking hand wins, and so do two or more four-of-a-kinds. In ties, the higher-ranking hand wins, as does the second-best pair. A flush, however, is when all your cards are of the same suit. The best way to get a flush is to have more than one high-ranking card in your hand.

The game of poker can be played with as many as five players, though six or eight players are ideal. The pot is the total of all bets made by all players during a single round. When you win the pot, you either have the highest-ranking hand or make the last bet and no other player calls. There are also other ways to win the pot, including taking a position with a lower-ranking hand than your opponents.

There are many variations of poker, and the rules vary based on the game. Each version has different rules for playing poker, but most variations use a standard deck of 52 cards. The cards are ranked from Ace high to Ace low, as well as a special type of card called the “Joker” card. There are many different ways to play the game, with the most popular variant being Texas Hold’em. But whichever game you play, be sure to check out the various variants and learn how to play them well.