Poker is a card game played with a standard pack of 52 cards. However, some variants include jokers and use multiple decks. The cards are ranked from Ace high to Ace low. Each player has a hand consisting of five cards. The hand that is higher in value wins the pot. In addition, some variants have a Wild Card, which is a card that can take any suit.

While poker is essentially a game of chance, betting and psychology add a level of skill. The basic game of poker can be learned by reading a book about poker or playing with a group of people who know how to play it. However, reading a book may not be as effective as playing with a group of people who know how to play poker.

When there are more than two players left in the game, a showdown takes place. During a showdown, the remaining players reveal their hidden cards and evaluate their hands. The player with the highest poker hand wins the pot. Poker hands consist of five cards, and the best combination of these cards wins the pot.

In some games, it is necessary to make a minimum hand before placing a bet. Typically, this is a pair of jacks, and is required to make the first bet before a draw is made.