Poker is a card game in which players make bets into a central pot before being dealt cards. One or more players are often required to make forced bets, known as an ante or blind bet. The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals each player their cards, one at a time beginning with the player on their left. Some games use multiple packs, add wild cards, or allow players to exchange cards with other players.

The best five-card hand wins the pot. The winner may choose to leave the game or share the winnings with other players at the table. It is often agreed beforehand how the money won by one player will be shared amongst those still at the table.

A player can call a bet, raise a bet, or fold his or her hand. The first player to bet in each betting interval is said to open, a player who calls the same amount as the previous bettor is called to call, and a player who bets more than the previous bettor is said to raise. Some variants of the game also permit players to check, meaning that they stay in without betting.

The game is played from a standard pack of 52 cards (though some games use more or less), with four suits, of spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs. The rank of a card is high, low, or neutral, depending on the game. Occasionally, jokers are used in place of the standard cards.