Poker is a card game that involves betting between two or more players. There are many different variations of the game, but in general the object is to win the “pot,” which is the total of all bets made during a single deal. This can be done by having the highest-ranking poker hand, or by making a bet that no other player calls, leading them to fold.
During each betting interval (depending on the poker variant), one player, designated by the rules of the game, has the privilege or obligation to make the first bet. All active players must then either call or raise the amount of the bet, depending on their hand. Players can also pass on their turn to act by ‘checking,’ which means that they will not put any chips into the pot.
After the initial round of betting the dealer deals three cards face up to the table that anyone can use to form a poker hand. This is called the flop.
There are various kinds of poker hands, but generally the best is a straight, which is five consecutive cards of the same suit. A flush is five matching cards of the same rank, and a pair is two cards of the same rank and another unmatched card. The high card usually breaks ties. Some games allow a player to exchange their cards for new ones during or after the betting round. However, this is not typical in online poker.
