Poker is a popular card game that involves betting. The object of the game is to have the highest hand after showing the cards. While there are many variations of the game, most follow the same general rules. Poker can also involve bluffing, or trying to convince your opponents that they have the best hand before the showdown. Although there are many types of poker, there are four main types: draw poker, stud poker, and limit hold’em.

Poker is played with multiple players, although the optimal number is six to eight players. The money bet by the players during a round of betting is called the pot. The player with the best hand wins the pot. In case of a draw, the pot is divided equally between the remaining players. However, if you’re the dealer, you don’t have to bet every round.

In poker, a hand that consists of two distinct pairs of cards plus a high card is called a high-card hand. The winner of a hand is the player who has the highest pair or the highest five-card hand. Tie-ups are broken by the highest card. This rule applies if no one else has a pair, or if several players tie for the highest card.

A straight is a good hand if it’s made up of five cards of the same suit. Aces can be high or low. A straight that consists of an ace high is called a Royal Flush.