Poker is a card game that involves bluffing, psychology, and skill. It can be played with any number of players and is usually played with chips. The object of the game is to have the highest-ranking hand at the end of a betting round.

A high pair contains two distinct cards of the same rank, while a straight contains five consecutive cards that skip around in rank but are all from the same suit. A flush contains five cards of the same suit, while a full house contains three matching pairs and one unmatched card. The highest card breaks ties.

Each player must first make forced bets (the amount varies by game) before the dealer will deal cards. Then the first of what may be many betting rounds begins. The cards are dealt face up or down depending on the variant of poker being played, and bets are made into a central pot at the end of each round.

The highest-ranking hand wins the pot unless all players have a pair of the same rank. A pair is any two cards of the same rank, while a three-of-a-kind contains three matching cards of the same rank and a fifth unmatched card. A straight is five consecutive cards in the same rank, while a flush is five cards of the same suit.

There are a lot of different ways to play poker and to win at it, but the basics are the same for all games. The best way to learn about poker is to play it with a group of people who already know how to play it and have a good understanding of the rules.