Poker is a game played with cards and chips. Players make bets and raises in order to win the pot. The player who has the best hand wins.

The card game may be played with any number of players. The ideal number of players is between six and eight. Each player is dealt a pair of cards. If a hand has two distinct pairs and a fifth card, it is said to have the straight.

Poker games are usually played with ceramic or plastic chips. These chips are usually green or blue. The game can also be played with coins.

After the deal, players reveal their cards one at a time. They can discard up to three.

One of the rules of the game is that each player is required to place a small ante before the game starts. This amount varies by the game. Typically, the ante is the minimum bet.

In the first round of betting, the dealer deals one card at a time to each of the players. Each player is required to call, raise, or fold. Only the best five-card hand is considered.

Some games require players to put a certain number of chips into the pot. The pot is a collection of all the bets made by all the players during the same deal.

When the last round of betting is over, a hand is considered a winner if no other player makes a bet. A pair of aces beats a straight flush.