Poker is a card game in which all the players bet money. The objective is to build the highest possible hand from a set of cards. The game is usually played with six to eight players. In the final round, the winner will take the pot, which is the sum of the money that all the players have bet during the hand. In the event of a draw, the pot is divided among all the players.

Poker requires tokens, usually round chips of different quality. The dealer’s chip indicates the current dealer and who is playing first. Although it is a gambling game, stakes do not have to be money, but experienced gamblers will sneer at you if you don’t have enough money to raise your stakes.

A poker hand is made up of five cards. The higher the hand, the higher the payout. The lowest hand is the straight, which consists of five cards of the same suit. Occasionally, an ace is treated as the lowest card. The other hand, called a flush, consists of five cards of the same suit in any order.

Although the game of poker is largely based on skill, there is a significant element of chance. However, this element plays a smaller role in a typical hand. As with any card game, the expected value of a hand over the long term is a statistical norm.