Poker is a game in which players try to make the best hand. The value of a hand depends on the highest card and the second highest card. Some hands have more than one card, such as a straight flush, but many of them don’t. Players also have the option of bluffing, or betting that they have the best hand and losing to someone else who doesn’t have the best hand.
The player who has the best hand wins the pot. The other players do not get to see their hands until the final betting round. This is called the showdown, and is the final stage of the game. After the betting is completed, the cards are revealed and the winner is declared. However, there can be more than one player left in the pot at any time.
The aim of the game is to build the best hand possible by collecting as many cards as possible. Usually, each player gets five cards. After seeing them, players can choose to discard up to three cards. Alternatively, they can take new cards from the top of the deck. If all players fail to make a hand, the pot is split equally among them.
To win the game, a player must have a high ranking poker combination. This hand has to be stronger than the other players’ hands.