Poker is a card game where players compete against each other by placing bets. The goal of the game is to form the best hand from a set of five cards. The winner of each hand gets the pot (the sum of all money bet during the hand). If the game ends in a tie, the money in the pot is split equally among the remaining players.

In poker, a winning hand is a five-card straight with an ace in the middle. If more than one player has a five-card straight, the higher card wins. Similarly, a five-card straight with the same suit is known as a royal flush. However, these hands are rarely made and are not very common.

In poker, there is a dealer at the table for each round. This person is responsible for dealing the cards and shuffling the deck. In some variations, a non-player may be designated as the dealer for the whole game. When the game is over, the dealer is replaced by a new player. Poker betting rules vary depending on who is the dealer.

In a typical game of poker, there are five to seven players. The players place bets in front of each other. These bets are placed before the flop. In many variations, players use different hands depending on their current position and the percentages involved.