Poker is a card game that is played by a number of players. The object of the game is to form the best possible hand out of five cards. All hands include two pairs and at least one five of a kind. In some games, you may also be able to take a wild card into the mix.

The game is played with a standard 52 card deck. The dealer deals the cards face up. Each player then chooses from the five cards that are dealt to form his or her hand. If no player has a pair, then the highest card wins.

Players can bluff by betting that their hand is the best. They can also place forced bets. For example, they can bet the ante. When they do, they are called blinds.

Cards are dealt in rounds, and each round begins with a player who is left of the dealer button. The turn to bet passes from one player to another.

A player who is the first to make a bet is said to be the active player. In some poker games, the dealer button is a white plastic disk. Typically, the dealer button moves clockwise after each hand.

During a round, a player can discard up to three cards. He or she can also shuffle the deck.

If all but one of the remaining players Fold, then the action ends. Players may also Check if they believe they do not owe anything to the pot.