Poker is a family of card games played all over the world. Its popularity has been bolstered by online games and television broadcasts of tournaments.

Poker is usually played with a standard 52-card deck, although jokers can sometimes be used. Players choose actions based on game theory and psychology. There are several variations on the game, including stud poker and community card poker. The game is played at casinos, private homes, and poker clubs.

All versions of poker have betting intervals. During each round, each player places bets in the same proportion to the total amount contributed by the previous player. These bets are then accumulated into a pot. The pot can be won by the player with the highest ranking hand. In some variants, the ace is treated as the lowest card.

There are three common types of bets: forced bets, antes, and blind bets. The latter two are often used in poker games with fixed limits. During the final betting interval, a player can either raise the existing pot or place a new bet. For forced bets, the player who antes first is obligated to make the ante.

A poker hand is made up of five cards. The lowest possible hand is a five-card flush, while the highest is a full house. The two other popular types of poker hands are a straight and a three-of-a-kind. A straight is five cards in sequence, while a three-of-a-kind is composed of three jacks and a seven.