Poker is a card game in which players place bets on the strength of their hands. The game can be played by two or more players, with the object being to win the pot, which is the total amount of all bets placed during a betting round. A player may win the pot by having a high-ranking poker hand or by making a bet that no one calls. The pot can also be divided into side pots.
There are many variations of poker, but most involve a minimum of six cards and five players. In some forms, the cards are dealt face up and the action passes clockwise around the table. Each player can act on their own hands or pass if they have no interest in calling a bet. A player can raise the bet by saying “raise.”
The dealer then deals a single card face up to each remaining player, which is known as the turn. Once the turn action is complete, the fifth community card is revealed, and a final round of betting takes place.
After the betting interval has ended, all remaining players show their cards and the best poker hand wins the pot. Occasionally, the players have a tie for the best poker hand, and the pot is shared among them. Players may also choose to fold, which discards their hole cards and removes them from the competition for the pot. In most tournaments, a player who has folded loses the right to compete for the main pot and any side pots that may be involved.
