Poker is a card game that is played with a deck of cards and poker chips. The game has hundreds of variations, but most are similar in that players place bets on their hands while they remain hidden from other players. When the betting is over, the winning hands are revealed and the player who has the best hand wins the pot.

To play poker, players buy in by placing a certain number of chips into the pot before the deal. These chips are numbered and have a particular value, such as five white chips are worth the minimum ante or bet, while four red chips are worth 10 whites.

Players then take turns betting on their hands. If a player does not want to bet, they can simply fold their hand. They can also say “check” to pass their turn and wait for other players to act.

If a player has a strong hand, they can raise the bet or call. To raise the bet, a player must have the same amount of chips as the last person to act or more. To call, a player must put in their chips or cash equal to the previous bet.

There are many different ways to win at poker, including a royal flush (ace, king, queen, and jack of the same suit), straight flush, four of a kind, three of a kind, and two pair. Ties are broken by the highest unmatched card, and secondary pairs (such as a three of a kind and a pair). Some games have wild cards that can change the rank of the hand.