Poker is a card game that involves betting between players on the strength of a hand. The person with the highest ranked hand at the end of the betting cycle wins the pot – all the chips placed in the pot by players during that hand.
There are two main poker variants: cash games and tournament play. A player must buy in for a minimum amount of money, often called the ante or bet. Then, during each betting interval (which depends on the specific poker variant being played), one player has the privilege or obligation to make a bet. The player to his left has the right or option to call, raise or fold.
Each player starts with two cards dealt face down. There is usually a round of betting during which players can either raise, call or fold in accordance with their strategy. Then, one more card is dealt. This is called the turn and there is another round of betting.
When a player is in possession of three or more matching cards of the same rank, they have a flush. Five consecutive cards of the same suit make a straight. A pair is made of two cards of the same rank and an unmatched third card. A full house is two matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank. A straight flush is five consecutive cards that are of the same suit but can skip ranks or sequences, such as A-K-2-3-4-5.