Poker is a popular gambling game played with five cards. The winning hand is determined by the highest card in the deck. There are a variety of games to choose from.

The game varies with each variant. For example, the Texas Hold’em variant uses two decks of cards, each with a different back colour. Some variants add jokers.

The game starts with the dealer dealing out the first five cards. The player on the left of the button posts a small or big blind.

The dealer will then shuffle the deck, revealing the cards one at a time. After the dealer is done, the turn passes to the player on the right.

Once all the cards are revealed, a betting round takes place. The turn to bet goes clockwise. Players may decide to pass, fold, bet, or raise. If a player raises, the rest of the players must call. If a player folds, he forfeits his position in the pot.

The pot is the aggregate of all bets made by all the players in the deal. If more than one person has a five of a kind, the high card will determine the winner.

A hand containing two distinct pairs and a fifth card is called a straight flush. A straight flush is the best possible hand and starts with the highest card. If no player has a straight flush, the highest card is used to break ties.

A pot is the sum total of all bets made by all the participants in the game. The pot can be won by making a bet that no other player calls.