Poker is a card game of chance and skill. It is played in a circle of players who place bets during the course of one round. Players have five cards to make a hand, and winnings are split based on the type of hand formed. Players may also bluff to improve their hands, but there is often no guarantee that the bluff will succeed.
The dealer shuffles the pack and deals cards to each player, starting with the player to their left. The turn to be dealer passes clockwise around the table after each deal. Players can cut the deck during the shuffle and pass the turn to cut to the player on their left before each deal.
In the first betting round, players bet the amount they are willing to risk to win the pot. They may then discard their cards and draw replacements to improve their hands. Some games allow a card exchange during or just after the betting round, depending on the rules.
If a player has two unmatched cards of the same rank, they have a pair. Three matching cards of a certain rank form a full house. Four consecutive cards of the same suit form a flush. Five cards of different ranks but the same suit form a straight. The highest hand wins, with ties being broken by the highest unmatched card.