Poker is a game of skill where players make wagers in order to create the best hand possible. Players choose whether to bet, pass, or bluff. The player who makes the highest ranking hand is the winner and takes the pot as his winnings.

The poker table is arranged so that each player is dealt one card. Each round of dealing is interrupted by a betting interval.

The dealer deals the cards face down. Once the first betting interval is over, the cards are removed from play. If any players remain, they can discard one to five cards. They can also re-shuffle the deck or replace cards that they have already been dealt.

After the final round of betting, a showdown occurs. A hand is declared if a pair of jacks or better is revealed.

Poker may be played with a single deck or with two, three, or four decks of cards. In most games, the decks are separated by back colour.

Cards are then dealt in a clockwise rotation. The player on the left of the dealer is the small blind. This player must place half of the minimum bet into the pot.

After the initial round of betting, each player has the option of either raising, calling, or folding. A raise is a bet by which the player makes an increased bet. Calling is an option which requires the player to match the amount of the bet. Folding is a bet by which the player declares that he does not wish to participate in the hand.