Usually a group of people sit around a table to play poker. Poker is usually played with a standard pack of 52 cards. The cards are ranked according to the suit. There are four suits: spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs.

During the game, the goal is to form the best hand possible. To do so, players may make bets, fold or call. When all players have folded, the highest hand wins the pot. This is referred to as a showdown.

The best hand in poker is usually two distinct pairs plus a fifth card. A flush is all cards of the same suit. The straight is a straight with the highest value card as the opener. Usually, players may play multiple rounds of betting.

There are many different versions of the game. Some variants use a single deck, others use multiple packs. A wild card is a card that can take any suit. Some games feature jokers.

One of the most common ways to win is to make a bet that nobody else calls. A player who does not owe anything to the pot is said to be “checking”.

The best hand in poker is often a combination of two of the lowest valued cards in a suit. The best five-card hand is only allowed in seven-card stud.

In some games, the ace can serve as the lowest card. There are also wild cards, which allow a player to form the best possible hand.