Poker is a card game that involves betting between players who are dealt cards by the dealer. It is usually played from a standard pack of 52 cards, though some games have additional rules and the addition of jokers. Unlike most gambling games, where money is thrown into the pot by force, bets in poker are made voluntarily. They are based on a player’s decision making process that is often informed by probability theory, psychology and game theory.

The highest hand in poker is the royal flush, which consists of four matching cards of the same rank and five consecutive cards of the same suit. The next highest hand is a straight, which is five consecutive cards of the same rank in more than one suit. Three of a kind contains three cards of the same rank and two matching cards of another rank. A pair consists of two cards of the same rank. High card breaks ties.

Before the cards are dealt, each player must place an ante or blind bet. Then the dealer shuffles the cards and deals them to each player in turn, starting with the person on their left. The first player to act may raise or call the bet. After each round, the bets are gathered into a central pot.