Poker is a card game in which each player receives a pair of cards, one face up and one face down. The game is played over a series of rounds in which the player who has the highest poker combination wins the pot. At the end of a round, all bets are gathered into a central pot.

Poker is played with chips, typically ceramic or plastic, and players place bets according to the value of their poker hand. While real money is used, poker chips are more convenient to handle. Besides being easier to manage, players can also exchange the chips for real cash when they win a hand. However, playing with chips is a better strategy than playing with real cash.

There are three different types of poker hands. The lowest hand is a pair of five cards with a value of seven, five, four, and three. However, in some games, an ace is treated as the lowest card. This means that a pair of five-cards is the lowest hand in poker.

In poker games, forced bets are common. This is also known as the blind or ante. Each player is required to put in the same number of chips as the other players. Players are also required to fold their cards if their hand is weaker than their opponent’s. However, if they are able to match the last bet made by another player, they can raise their bet. Ultimately, the player with the best hand wins.