Poker is a family of comparing card games. The games are played with a standard deck of 52 cards. The highest hand wins the pot.

The game can be played with any number of players. However, it is ideal to play with six to eight people. Each player must wager according to the rules.

Each player receives five cards. One card is dealt face down and the other three are dealt face up. If there are no pairs, the highest unmatched card breaks ties.

Depending on the poker variant, the pot may be split evenly between the highest and lowest hands. It is not uncommon to see a showdown in which the best hand wins.

Some poker variants allow the use of wild cards. These cards take any suit. Using wild cards, the player can make a five of a kind.

The dealer cuts the deck and deals the cards. Players can check, raise, or fold. In some variants, the dealer has the right to shuffle the cards.

When the deal is completed, the players start betting in clockwise order. Betting continues until all but one of the players has folded. Alternatively, the last player collects the pot without revealing his or her hand.

All poker games have one or more rounds of betting. After the first round of betting, the action moves to the player left of the button.

The player to the left of the button must post a small blind. He must also post a big blind.