Poker is a card game played with a deck of 52 cards. The object of the game is to win a pot of money by forming the best five-card hand. There are various types of poker, with some variants using a different structure and rules than others.

Hands and ranks

A standard poker hand consists of five cards, with each hand containing one high card, two pairs (two cards of the same rank), three of a kind (three cards of the same suit), and a kicker. The kicker is the highest-ranking card in a high-card hand.

Ties and splits

In standard games, ties between identical hands are broken by the highest unmatched card or secondary pair. For example, in a flush a pair of aces beats a straight flush, and in a full house a pair of threes beats a four-of-a-kind.

Tournaments and qualifiers

A poker tournament is a type of contest in which players play against each other over several rounds to reach the final match. They are a form of gambling and can be held on a local, state, or national level.

How to win at poker

In poker, each player is dealt a hand of cards, and the first player to make a bet wins the pot. The bet amount is set by the rules of the variant being played and may increase or decrease after each betting interval. A player may call, raise, or fold; if he does not call, the bet is forfeited.