Poker is a gambling game that is played by a group of players around a circular table. Each player is dealt a hand and the objective is to make the best hand. The player who makes the best hand wins the pot.

There are four main types of poker games. All are variations on the basic rules, and each has a different number of players. In most games, the deck is 52 cards. A wild card is also sometimes introduced.

First, the dealer deals the cards. This is done with one of the cards from the shuffled deck face up. Every player receives a card, which may be face down.

Next, a betting interval takes place. The players have the right to discard as many as three cards.

After the betting period is over, the next round begins. This is called the showdown. Once the players have shown their hands, the player with the best hand wins.

If there is a tie, the high card breaks the tie. For example, if there are two people who have the same ranked five of hearts, the high card will break the tie. Similarly, if there are two people who have two pairs, the high card will break the tie.

During the next round of betting, the dealer deals the cards. Again, the first bettor is the player with the highest-ranked combination. Typically, the right to deal rotates among the players.

During a showdown, the players can see the cards that are revealed. Players can also choose to bluff, which is a method of tricking the other players into folding.