Poker is a card game played between 2 to 14 players, with the object of winning a pot (the sum of all bets placed during one deal). A player may win the pot either by having the highest-ranking poker hand or by making a bet that no other player calls. The rules of poker vary slightly between variants, but they are generally similar.
In most forms of poker, each player places a mandatory bet called a blind before the cards are dealt. This is done to create an incentive for players to make bets and to keep the pot size high. Players then receive two cards face down, which are known as their hole or pocket cards. A round of betting follows, starting with the player to the left of the big blind. Three more cards are then dealt face up, known as the flop. Then another round of betting begins, starting with the player to the left of that player’s blind.
A winning poker hand consists of five cards in a sequence of ranks and suits, with the highest card determining the value of the hand. The highest ranking hands are Ace High, Full House, Flush, Straight and Three of a Kind.
Poker is also notable for the use of tells, which are unconscious habits that reveal information about a player’s hand. Common tells include blinking excessively, putting a hand over the mouth, eyebrows raising or flaring, nose pinching, a rapid heartbeat and eyes watering.
