Poker is a card game that is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. It is one of the oldest games in existence and can be played by a group of people on a large circular table. The object of the game is to win the pot by having the best hand. There are hundreds of variations of the game.

It can be played with any number of players, but the ideal game has around six or eight players. Some variations allow for more than 10 people. In addition to playing with a regular deck of 52 cards, players may also use a variety of other devices, such as jokers and wild cards.

The first step is to put in a blind bet. This is a bet of twenty cents. The next step is to make a bet that is bigger than the last. The ante, or the money in the pot, is determined by the game rules.

The first round of dealing distributes seven cards to each player. The player with the highest ranking combination of three cards is the initial dealer.

After the cards are dealt, the betting phase begins. After a few rounds, a showdown is held, where the best hand is revealed.

During the betting phase, each player has the opportunity to discard up to three cards. A winning hand is not always a straight or flush, but it is a good sign if you get two straights, four flushes or two full houses.