The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game played between two or more players and requires skill to win. It is often considered an ancestor of other card games such as blackjack and rummy. It has ancient roots dating back to 10th century China.

Each player must “ante” something (the amount varies by game) to get dealt cards, and then bet into the middle of the table during each betting round. The highest hand wins the pot.

When it’s your turn to bet, you can either Call a previous player’s raise, Raise the stakes yourself, or Fold. Some players, especially those in late positions, also make Aggression plays – putting in a big bet with a weak hand to scare off other players or force them into calling their re-raises.

At the end of a betting round, all remaining players reveal their hands and the winner takes the pot. Sometimes a player will have multiple hands, and in that case the hand with the highest total value wins. The highest total is a Straight, which is five consecutive cards of the same suit. Another common hand is the Full House, which is three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank. Finally, a Pair is two cards of the same rank (for example, two sixes), plus another unmatched card. You can also have a Flush, which is five consecutive cards of the same suits. These can be mixed, like in a Straight, or all the same suit, like in a Full House.