Poker is a card game where players compete to make the highest hand. To play, players must first make an ante, or bet a predetermined amount of chips into the middle of the table. The highest-ranked hand wins the pot. The betting cycle occurs clockwise, starting with the player who made the first bet. This continues until all players have bet or folded.

The game can be played with any number of players, although six to eight players is ideal. The sum of all the bets made by all players during one deal is known as the “pot”. To win the pot, a player must have the highest-ranking poker hand or make a bet that no other players call.

When the betting round ends, all players reveal their hands to other players. During this time, players try to minimize their losses with a bad hand, and maximize their winnings with a good one. During each round of betting, a player may be required to place an ante. In some variants of the game, the ante must be placed before the cards are dealt.

In poker, the highest-ranking hand is a five-of-a-kind. This hand beats a straight flush, which is the lowest hand. In some games, an ace is treated as the lowest-ranking card.