by 
Poker is a game of cards where players compete for a pot of money. A pot can be won by making the best poker hand or by making a bet that no other player calls. The game can be played with any number of players. However, the ideal number is usually six to eight.
Before the start of a round, each player must place an ante into the pot. This is typically a small bet. During the first round, players will be dealt two cards each. One of the cards may be face up. Alternatively, the dealer will shuffle the deck.
After the cards are shuffled, each player is dealt two more cards. One of these is known as the “hole card”. It is kept secret. Depending on the version of the game, the dealer can shuffle the deck again after the first round of betting.
Each round of poker includes a betting interval. During a betting interval, each player can raise, fold, or check. To call, a player must match the previous bet.
Players may also bluff by placing a bet that is not true. For example, a player might say he has the best hand but is merely attempting to bluff another player into folding. If this happens, the other player can either check, call, or fold. Eventually, if all players have checked, the betting interval is over and the round is over.
In some poker games, the Joker, or an extra card in the deck, is used as a wild card. Other forms of poker use deuces as a wild card. Sometimes, a hand of five cards is called a flush. Another form of poker, Omaha, requires four hole cards.
Several betting rounds are needed before the final showdown. After the last round of betting, a showdown occurs when the hand of each player is revealed. When all of the players have uncovered their hands, the winner is the player who holds the highest hand.
The lowest possible hand is 7-5-4-3-2 in two or more suits. An ace is treated as the lowest card in some games. There are several other ways to win in poker, but the royal flush is the most common. Typically, a Royal Flush consists of a king, queen, jack, ten, and an ace.
In the event that a pair of aces is the lowest two cards in the deck, it is known as a tripping hand. Also, if a player holds a pair of aces and a pocket pair of aces, he is said to have a flush. Likewise, if two or more players hold a pair of aces, it is called a straight.
When all the players have uncovered their hands, they can either bet, call, or fold. Usually, players who fold are not in competition for the pot. However, a player who tries to bluff the other players by placing a bet that is not real will be referred to as a “forced bet”. These are often a blind bet, a ante, or a protection bet.
