poker is an exciting card game played by two or more players. It is a game of chance and skill, but it also has elements of psychology, math and logic. The rules of poker vary slightly among different games, but the basic principles are the same. The object of the game is to win the pot (the sum total of all bets made in a single deal) by having the highest-ranking hand or by betting aggressively enough to force other players to fold their cards.

Each player is dealt 2 cards, which are called their hole cards. Once everyone has their cards, there is a round of betting. There are two mandatory bets, known as blinds, placed into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer. These are put into the pot even if a player doesn’t want to play his or her hand.

Once the betting is complete, all of the players reveal their hands. Each player must either match or raise the latest bet or fold his or her hand.

There are many different types of hands in poker. A flush contains 5 consecutive cards of the same suit, such as three jacks or three sixes. A straight contains five cards of consecutive rank, but from more than one suit. A pair consists of two cards of the same rank, such as a pair of kings or queens. And a full house contains 3 matching cards of the same rank and 2 matching cards of another rank.