Poker is a popular game of chance and skill that’s played from a standard pack of 52 cards. There are four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs) and the highest hand wins.

The rules of poker vary widely, but there are some common principles that apply to most games. The first thing you need to know is that most games start with a player placing an ante, which is usually a small amount of money, into the pot before cards are dealt.

After the ante is placed, the dealer deals two cards to each player and keeps them secret from everyone else. Players can then choose to fold, call, or raise.

Another important part of the poker process is betting. During each round, the player with the highest poker combination in his faceup card bets first; any other players can either check or raise to match this bet.

The dealer will then deal out cards clockwise from player to player, starting with the first player and ending with the last player. The last player to bet will then reveal their hand and the winner is the person with the best hand.