Poker is a card game in which players try to make the best hand from a combination of cards. The highest-ranking hand wins the pot, which is the sum of all bets made by all players in a deal.
The game has a long history, with many different variants. The most important aspects of the game are its rules and the way the cards are dealt.
Cards are dealt clockwise around the table one at a time. The dealer button (a buck or token) is rotated among the players to indicate who has the right to deal a hand.
There are many betting rounds in the course of a hand. Each round begins with an initial bet and ends when the last player has placed a bet.
During the betting rounds, players can raise and call bets from other players. They also have the option of folding their hand when they think it is too weak to compete against the other players.
A match method of equalization occurs when a player wishes to remain in the pot must increase his stake by the amount necessary to match the total stake of the last active player. He may then raise it further, or fold if he is unwilling to do either.
In most games of poker, the rank of hands is determined by their odds. Two or more identical hands tie and divide any winning equally.