Poker is a card game in which players bet money into a pot of chips. The player who holds the best hand wins the pot.

The highest hand in poker is the royal flush, which includes a 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of the same suit (all clubs, diamonds, hearts or spades). It can only be beat by another royal flush.

Straight flush is the next highest, and it includes 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. Four of a kind is another winning hand, and it involves 4 cards of the same suit and an additional card of any other suit.

Three of a kind is also another winning hand. It involves 3 cards of the same suit and an additional card from any other suit.

Two of a kind is a second-best hand, and it includes 2 cards of the same suit and an additional card either from any other suit or from any other rank.

There are several different betting rounds in poker, and each round is played clockwise around the table. In some games, a player can “check” the pot and not bet further.

In a limit game, a maximum bet/raise amount is set for each betting round. Each subsequent player must at least match that bet or raise to stay in the game.

Poker is a highly competitive game, and the ability to read other players is essential. It involves tracking their mood shifts, eye movements, and other tells. In addition, it requires a thorough understanding of the game itself, as well as its variants.