The Basics of Poker

Poker is a family of card games in which players compete for the best hand. Players can win by bluffing, betting their best hand, or by drawing cards. The player with the highest hand wins the pot.

The poker game is played with five cards. Two of the cards are hidden from view, and the other four are face up. When all of the cards have been dealt, the last player to show his hand is said to “play” the board.

The dealer deals the cards to each player. One of the players must make the first bet. Once the bet has been made, the turn of the player who opened the pot passes.

All the other players must match the bet. Some players choose to bet more than the previous bettor, or bet less than the previous bettor. This is called raising.

Normally, two decks of cards are used. Each deck has a different colour of back. Sometimes, players use wild cards to create the highest possible hand.

If there are more than one person left, a showdown occurs. A showdown is a situation in which all the players have five cards, but only one is the best hand. During a showdown, the player with the highest hand can be the winner of the pot.

The player with the highest hand can also draw additional cards from the deck. The cards are then shuffled. Depending on the variant, the players may use one, three, or five cards to complete their hand.