Poker is a family of card games that has a wide range of variants. These variants can vary in the number of players, the amount of money in the pot, and the deck of cards used. There are hundreds of different variations of poker, but the basic rules remain the same.

To play poker, you need to have cards and a round table. Most poker games are played with a standard 52-card deck, but some games may use other types of cards. The cards are dealt face up.

The dealer can be an employee of a casino, or a player. The dealer will shuffle the deck before dealing the cards to each player.

Before being dealt a hand, each player has the option of making a bet. This bet can be made by raising or folding. If the other players do not fold, then the bet goes into the pot.

Players compete for the most money in the pot. They do this by wagering on their best hand. In most cases, the better hand wins. Alternatively, a player can win by bluffing. Using this tactic, a player can bet a weak hand and still win if their opponent calls. However, bluffing is usually less effective when there are more opponents.

Most poker games use a 52-card deck, which is divided into four suits. Two of the suits are low and two are high. A pair of aces is the lowest pair.