Poker is a card game played by two or more players. The goal of the game is to have a winning hand at the end of the round. It is a game of chance, but there are also some elements of skill and psychology involved.

There are many different forms of poker. Some require a minimum number of players, while others are played with as few as two players. Some games involve betting and others do not. Some involve a single dealer, while others have multiple dealers.

Players are dealt cards and placed in a circle around the table. Each player places an ante into the pot before they begin betting. After the first bets are made, players may discard up to three cards and receive new ones in order to improve their hands. Then, another round of betting takes place. At the end of the hand, players show their cards and the player with the highest hand wins.

A poker hand can consist of one pair, two pairs, or a full house. A full house consists of three cards of the same rank and two cards of a different rank. A straight consists of five consecutive cards, with the ace being the lowest card. A three of a kind is a combination of three cards of the same rank and two different suits. Two pairs are a combination of two distinct cards of the same rank and a high card breaks ties.