Poker is a card game that can be played with one or more players. It is a fast-paced game that involves many betting rounds. The player who has the best hand after all rounds is crowned the winner.

The game is played with a standard 52-card deck, with the cards ordered from highest to lowest. Jokers (wild cards) are also used, but are not required.

Before playing, each player makes a forced bet, called an ante. This bet can be either a small or large amount.

Once the ante is in place, each player is dealt two cards to keep secret from other players. They must then decide whether to fold, call, or raise.

If a player folds, they don’t play the round but they remain in the pot and can bet again if the flop or turn comes down.

When a player bets, other players must call or match the bet unless they have a superior hand. They may also bluff, if they think that a player has a weaker hand than they do.

Ties are broken by the highest unmatched cards or secondary pairs in a hand. A pair of aces and a pair of tens beat a straight flush, while a pair of queens and three of a kind beat fours of a kind.

There are several ways to win at poker, but the best way is by developing a solid base range of hands that you play and then sticking with them aggressively. Pocket pairs, suited aces, broadway hands and best suited connectors are all common starting hands that you should stick with.