Poker is a card game played all over the world. Although there are many variations, the basic rules of the game are largely the same. Players bet on their hand and collect the pot if their hand wins. The cards are dealt to each player in a clockwise fashion.
There are several betting structures and most games feature one or more rounds of betting. The ante is a small bet that every player must make before their hand is dealt. The pot is a collection of all bets made in a round.
The game also features bluffing. This is the most popular form of poker where players try to convince other players to call a bet by showing them a good hand. The bluff can take the form of a bet or a handshake.
Poker is usually played with a normal deck of 52 cards. Some variants may require more than one deck. The highest hand is usually awarded the pot.
A poker hand consisting of the best five cards is considered the best hand in most poker variants. In some variations, the highest hand can be split between the highest and lowest hands. Some variants do not include flushes and straights in the calculation.
Poker is often compared to other card games such as rummy and bridge. The name probably comes from a combination of French poque and primero, which was popular during the Renaissance. The game is also said to have roots in the Persian game as nas.