Poker is a card game where players compete against each other to have the best hand. In each hand, the objective is to get the highest possible hand while keeping betting in order to win the pot. If the hand is a tie, the money from all the players’ previous bets is split evenly among the players.

The rules of poker differ depending on how the game is played. In some variations, all but one player may fold at any time, and the winner collects all the bets without revealing their hand. In other games, more than one player remains in the pot at the end of the betting round. The final round of betting is called a showdown, and the player with the best hand wins the pot.

Each player is dealt two cards. In addition to the cards in their hands, they are also dealt five cards from the table. The goal is to get the best hand possible, and to achieve this, they use either one card from their hand, or four cards from the table. In this way, they will have a better chance of winning.

The most common type of poker is Texas Hold’Em, which is played by two players at a table. The game begins with an ante, or “buy-in” bet. This bet is usually a small amount, such as $1 or $5. After the ante, the dealer deals the cards face up or face-down to each player. If a player has a high card, he may either fold or make a bet or call an all-in bet.