Poker is a card game, played with a pack of 52 cards. It is a form of gambling, and is a popular game in casinos and private homes.

The main objective of poker is to get the best hand of five cards. In a hand of five cards, the highest single card wins. This hand can be a straight, a flush, a pair, or a four of a kind. A straight is made of two distinct pairs of cards plus a fifth card. Similarly, a flush is made of all cards of the same suit.

Each player has the right to discard one or more cards before the drawing phase begins. After the drawing phase, each player’s cards are shown. When the hand is revealed, the highest hand wins the pot. If more than one player has the same hand, the high card breaks ties.

There are a number of different Poker variations, but all of them are played with a standard deck of 52 cards. Cards are dealt face down.

During a hand, each player makes a bet. Each bet is matched by the player to the left of the original bet. Once everyone has been matched, betting continues until a player folds.

Some variant games include jokers. Jokers can be used as wild cards to improve your hand, and can take any suit. They can also be used to break ties.

Poker is usually played with chips, but may be played with a deck of cards. Poker chips are made of ceramic or plastic.