Whether you’re playing at home or at the casino, poker is a popular game with many different variations. The goal of any poker game is to win the pot with the best hand. You’ll need to know what a good hand looks like and how to bluff your opponents in order to play your best.

The basic poker hand is a pair. A pair is made of two cards of the same rank, such as a pair of aces or a pair of kings. A straight is five cards of the same suit in sequential order. Other types of hands include a flush, which is five cards of the same suit in any order, and a full house, which contains three aces and two sixes.

In most games, the first player to the left of the button is the first bettor. The dealer deals the cards one at a time.

Once the cards have been dealt, players can decide whether to call or raise the bet. A call means that you’re willing to match the bet, while a raise means that you’re willing to increase your bet.

When a hand is tied, the highest card in the hand determines who wins the pot. The highest card in a pair is usually the highest, so a pair of aces beats a pair of kings. A two-pair hand is less likely to win, but can still beat the pot.

A joker is sometimes added to a standard 52-card pack for poker. A joker counts as any suit for a flush or straight. A joker can also be used to make a 5-of-a-kind hand, which is a hand that has five cards of the same suit.