Poker is a card game that’s played around the world. It’s a game of chance, but also one that requires skill and strategy.

The most popular type of poker is Texas Hold’em, but there are many others. Some are even silly (like Strip Poker) and some have no real rules at all!

In Texas Hold’em, the first two players in each hand must pay an initial contribution called an ante. The ante is usually a small amount, like $1 or $5. Then, each player is dealt two cards.

Once the cards are dealt, each player looks at their hand and decides whether or not to place a bet. This bet is called a “play.” The optimum strategy is to play all hands greater than Queen, Six and Four and fold all hands worse.

Most poker games use a standard deck of 52 cards. They vary in the number of cards that are dealt face up or face down, and in the number of cards shared by all players.

In some poker games, a dealer button may be used to indicate the nominal dealer. The button rotates clockwise among the players to show whose turn it is to deal and who has the right to call a bet.

The winner of each hand is the player who holds the best 5-card hand. The highest possible hand is five of a kind, which beats any straight flush.