The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game that involves betting between players and can be played by two or more people. It has a number of different variants and is played using standard cards ranked from high to low: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. There are also wild cards that can take on any suit or rank (dueces, one-eyed jacks, etc.).

During the course of a hand, players place bets into the center of the table. These bets are known as the pot. The player with the highest ranked poker hand wins the pot. Unlike other casino games, players don’t place bets based on chance; instead they bet for strategic reasons involving probability, psychology and game theory.

To begin a hand, the players must first “ante” (place their chips into the pot). Then they are dealt 2 cards each. Each player’s hidden cards are called that player’s hole or pocket. After the first betting phase, 3 cards are revealed to all players and are known as the flop. Then another betting phase begins.

Players may call, check, raise or fold during this betting phase. A player may also put all of his or her remaining chips into the pot, a bet called an all-in. Depending on the variant of poker, there are special rules for how an all-in bet works. Poker can be played with any number of players, but the ideal is six to eight people.