Poker is a card game where players compete for the most chips in the pot. Each player contributes one or more chips to the pot before the hand is dealt. If two players tie, the pot is split as evenly as possible. The player with the highest card in a suit is deemed to have the high hand.

Poker can be played with any number of players, but the ideal number is six to eight. The pot is the sum total of all bets made by the players in a single hand. A player can win the pot by having the highest-ranking poker hand, or by making a bet that no other players call.

The best natural hand in poker is a straight flush, which consists of five cards of the same suit. If an ace is involved in the straight flush, it can be high or low. Ace high straight flush is called a Royal Flush. Usually, a game of poker requires at least 200 chips.

When choosing your poker hands, it is important to balance the number of value and bluff hands. This principle is often wrapped up in discussions of GTO and indifference points. For example, if you’re holding a suited A, you might want to bluff your opponent on the river. It will only give your opponent a 2:1 chance to call. If you’re holding a flush, your opponent would have to fold.