Poker is a card game where players attempt to maximize their winnings with good hands and minimize their losses with bad hands. The game is played from a standard pack of cards (though some variations use multiple packs and may have jokers in the deck).
In most versions of the game, each player puts an initial contribution, called an ante, into the pot before any cards are dealt. This ante may be required before the betting interval begins or it may be optional.
When the first player makes a bet, other players who call (match the amount of the previous bet) or raise (add more money to the pot) follow suit. If no player calls or raises, the hand ends and the next round of betting begins.
The highest possible hand in a standard poker game is five of a kind, or five cards of the same rank. Four of a kind, three of a kind, two pair and one pair all qualify.
If two or more hands have the same rank, they are a tie and the prize, if any, is divided evenly. Tie breaker rules vary according to the particular game, but the general rule is that the outside cards break ties.
There are many poker tells, including shallow breathing, sighing, nostril flaring, flushing red, eyes watering, blinking, swallowing excessively or an increasing pulse seen in the neck or temple. Some tells are more subtle, such as a hand over the mouth or shaking a hand.
