Poker is a family of card games that has been popular since the 17th century. It can be played with any number of players, but the ideal number is 6 to 8. The game can be played for a variety of stakes, from no-limit to high-stakes.

Most poker games have two or more rounds of betting, called “intervals.” Players are given the opportunity to use one or more cards from their hand and make a bet or raise. After the end of an interval, the player with the best hand collects the pot.

Poker is played with chips, which are usually green, blue, black or red in color. Chips are worth either two, four or five reds, and 10 or 25 whites.

Before the start of the game, each player must make a minimum ante. Typically, this is $1 or $5. Each round of betting is a new round of betting, and the ante is placed in the pot for each round.

The ace is regarded as the lowest card in some games. If a hand is tied, the player with the highest rank wins the pot.

If there are two or more identical hands, the ranking of the next card determines the winner. A straight is the five cards in order of sequential values. Another type of hand is a flush, which has five cards of the same suit.

The player who wins the most money in the pot at the end of the game is referred to as the “winner.” During the last round of betting, a showdown is held, during which the cards are shown.