Poker is a card game that requires skill and strategy to win. It is often played between two players, but it can also be played by more than four people. The object of the game is to have the best hand at the end of the round. The best hands are made up of five cards of the same suit, a straight, or a flush. The player with the highest-ranking hand wins all of the money placed into the pot by all of the other players.

The game begins with each player placing an ante into the pot. Then the dealer deals each player two cards face down. Depending on the type of poker, there may be an optional additional wager called the add-on. Players can choose to call, raise, or fold their cards. If they raise, they must continue to make additional bets until everyone else has folded their cards or called their bets.

There are many different types of poker, but most have the same basic structure. The game starts with the players placing an ante into the pot and then receiving two cards. The players then begin betting against each other. The player with the highest-ranking poker hand wins all of the money in the pot. The players in the other three hands split any winnings.

The rank of a poker hand is determined by its odds (probability). In some poker games, the joker – known as a bug – is designated as wild and counts as either an ace or a suit to fill in a straight, a flush, or certain other hands.