Poker is a card game that can be played with any number of players. However, six or eight players is the ideal number. Each player is dealt seven cards, one at a time. The player with the highest poker hand wins the pot. To win a pot, a player must make a bet that no other player calls.

After each round, the players reveal their hands clockwise around the table. If a player folds, the round ends. The other players then reveal their hands. This process continues clockwise around the table, depending on which variant of poker you’re playing. This phase is referred to as the flop. After all players have revealed their hands, the dealer is required to offer the pack to his or her opponent for a cut.

In most variations of poker, each player must bet a certain amount of money before each round. This money represents the amount of chips each player has in the pot. The winner of a round takes the entire pot. If the game ends in a draw, the money is divided among the remaining players. To keep the game moving smoothly, many players make an ante bet, or pre-bet, before each round begins. This keeps the game from being drawn out too long and keeps each player somewhat invested in the game.

In most games, the lowest hand in poker is a pair of five-cards. If more than one player has four five-cards, the higher pair wins. In some games, the lowest five-card hand is the pair of aces.