Poker is a card game with many variants. Typically, players place an initial amount into the betting pool prior to the cards being dealt. This initial investment is known as the pot and can be in the form of an ante, blind or bring-in. Players then raise or fold their bets based on the strength of their own hand and the strength of their opponents’. The player who remains after all of the other players have folded wins the round and collects all of the money that has been raised.

The objective of poker is to make the best 5-card “hand” from your two personal cards and the five community cards. A hand consists of two distinct pairs, a straight, a flush or a three-of-a-kind. A high card breaks ties if none of the other hands qualify.

In most cases, the winner of a round will be the player who has the highest ranked hand. However, it is possible for several hands to be of equal value and in that case, the pot will be shared.

Let’s say you deal yourself a pair of kings off the deal. When the betting starts you can fold (no bets), call (put a dime into the pot) or raise it (put another dime into the pot). If you raise it, the next active player must either match your increase or call your bet. Depending on the type of poker being played, there may be multiple betting rounds before the showdown takes place.