Poker is a card game played all over the world. The game combines the elements of betting, bluffing and evaluating a hand. There are a number of variants of the game, based on the deck configuration.
In the earliest versions of poker, each player was dealt 20 cards. In modern times, a standard deck of cards is used. Cards are shuffled and dealt face up or down. Typically, players will be required to place a forced bet before they can see their hand. This can be in the form of an ante, a blind bet, or a flop bet.
All poker games involve one or more rounds of betting. The bet is then collected into a pot, which includes the sum of all previous bets. Players may fold, raise, or call the previous bet.
The best hand wins the pot. A winning hand is considered a straight, flush, or four of a kind. Depending on the game, the pot may be split between the highest and lowest hands.
Various variations of the game exist, but all have the same basic rules. They involve a dealer, who deals the cards. These are then shown to each player. If a player has more than one hand, a showdown occurs, when all players reveal their cards.
In most variations of the game, the player with the best hand wins the pot. Other forms of the game award the pot to the lowest hand.