Poker is a card game that can be played by two to seven people. The object of the game is to execute the most profitable actions (bet, raise, or fold) based on the information at hand, with the goal of winning money.
Each player receives five cards to use in creating a poker hand. The highest hand wins, but ties can occur. Standard cards include ace, king (K), queen (Q), jack (J), ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, and deuce. Jokers or wild cards can also be included in some games to supplement the regular cards.
A player who does not have a good hand can pass on betting (check) or raise by saying “raise.” Raising means that you are increasing your bet and adding more money to the pot. The other players can choose to either call your new bet or fold.
The rank of poker hands is determined by their odds (probability). A pair of aces beats all other hands, except for four of a kind. When two hands tie in rank, the higher ranking hand wins unless there are wild cards (in which case the high card rule applies).