Poker is a card game in which players make bets. Players ante an amount that varies from game to game. They bet into a central pot and the player with the best hand wins the pot. Betting proceeds clockwise and each player has three options: fold, raise, or call. Depending on the rules of the game, a player may raise their initial bet before checking, a move that can result in their hand being eliminated.

Each player receives one card face-up and one card face-down. After three rounds, the players reveal their hand. The winner of the round is the one who has the best hand, and in seven-card stud, the winning hand is the highest 5-card combination. The process is repeated clockwise around the table.

If no one raises, the round of betting ends. If someone doesn’t raise, the other player is forced to fold. In this scenario, the player can check, raise, or refuse to bet, effectively knocking the other player out of the round. If they’re still on the table, the round continues.

A hand in Poker can consist of two distinct pairs, a high pair, or an identical pair. The higher hand wins the pot. A player can also bluff by betting that they have a better hand than the other player.