Generally, poker is played with a standard pack of 52 cards. However, some variant games use two decks of cards or multiple packs. There are also poker games with wild cards, which are used to augment any other card.

The object of the game is to make the best hand from five cards. The highest hand wins the pot. If there are ties, the high card breaks them. When two or more people have the same high card, the second pair wins.

After the first round of betting, each player has the option of folding or making a forced bet. A forced bet is an ante or a blind bet. If a player raises his bet, all other players must call. A player may also choose to accept the bet. If no one calls, the player must fold.

The next round of betting starts with the player to the left of the button. A player who is all-in at the end of the last round of betting may only win the pot to which he contributed. The last betting round is followed by the showdown, when all the cards are revealed.

A player who has the best hand at the end of the last round of betting is the winner. He will receive all the bets from all other players and the amount of the pot. If the other players all fold, the pot is divided between all the players equally.