Poker is a game of chance and skill played by a group of people around a circular table. The aim is to bet on the best hand of five cards. Players may also bluff in order to win. A winning poker hand can result in a jackpot.

A basic poker hand comprises of five cards, although players can discard up to three. The best hand is the highest possible combination of the five cards, unless the hand is a straight or flush.

Poker can be played with as few as two players and as many as eight. There are also many variations of the game, each with varying rules.

Most versions of the game require a minimum ante. This is the amount of money that each player must contribute to the pot. In addition, there is a rake, a small fee that is taken out of the pot each hand.

A player can bluff his opponent by stating that he has the best hand. However, a player cannot bluff if he is not willing to make a bet.

All but one player folds during each round of play. In a showdown, the player with the best hand wins the pot. If there is a tie, the ties are broken by secondary pairs.

A wild card is a card in the deck that acts as a substitute for an ordinary card. The Joker is often used as a wild card in poker.