Poker is a card game where players bet chips (representing money) against each other. Despite the countless variations of the game, most poker games share certain core principles. The goal of any player is to have the highest-ranking hand when all cards are revealed. The player with the highest hand wins the pot, which is all of the chips that have been bet during that deal.

During a hand of poker, the dealer deals each player two cards face down. These are known as hole cards. Players then make bets, putting chips into the pot that their opponents must match or raise. Players may also choose to check, which means they will not place any bets. Players may also fold, which forfeits their hand and their right to compete for the pot.

In addition to betting, players can also exchange cards from their hands. Depending on the rules of the poker variant being played, this is usually done during or after the first round of betting. The cards are then dealt in a series of stages, consisting of three cards, called the “flop,” an additional single card, known as the “turn,” and a final card, called the “river.”

The best poker hand consists of five consecutive number value cards from more than one suit. The most coveted hand is a royal flush, which includes a 10 of clubs, diamonds, hearts, or spades. Other common poker hands include four of a kind and three of a kind.