Poker is a card game played with a standard pack of 52 cards. The game is popular in many countries. It is often played with plastic or ceramic chips. There are various variations, such as three-card monte and spades, as well as games with jokers.

In the most basic version of the game, the dealer is the one who shuffles and deals the cards. The cards are distributed face down or face up, depending on the variant. Usually the highest card wins.

Ties are broken by the use of the highest card or the best five-card poker hand. A hand with five cards that is made up of the same suit is called a straight, or a flush.

Each player must place a number of chips in the pot. This number is usually based on the amount of the previous bet.

The player who makes the first bet is called the bettor. He is then obligated to make another bet, known as a raise.

A hand with more than two cards of the same suit is considered a pair. When two players have a straight or a flush, the higher card is considered the winner.

If there are more than five players in a hand, the winner is determined by a showdown. This is when the best five-card hand is revealed.

The best poker hand is often a straight flush. Occasionally, a straight is not the best hand. Some variants of the game include wild cards, which can take any suit.