Poker is a card game that involves a group of players seated around a table. Players sit in a circle or oval table, with each player receiving a card from a shuffled deck. The player who has the highest card is chosen as the initial dealer, and the rest of the players then pass the cards clockwise to the next player. The initial dealer then shuffles and cuts the deck. The next player to act as the initial dealer advances to the next step of the game.
A player who has a higher ranking poker hand wins the pot. Poker games are played with a standard pack of 52 cards, with some variations including jokers. The cards are ranked from Ace high to Ace low. In each hand, the player must match at least five cards with the same rank. Some poker games include a Wild Card, which can take any suit, while others do not.
In five-card poker, there are 10 basic ways to win. In a straight, five cards are dealt in a row, while a flush consists of five cards of the same suit.