Poker is a card game in which players bet money (representing chips) on the outcome of a hand. There are many variants of the game, but all involve betting and a minimum of five cards. A hand’s value is determined in inverse proportion to its mathematical frequency, and the higher the probability of getting a given card the more valuable the hand. Players may also bluff, making false bets in the hopes that their opponents will call their bets.

Before the cards are dealt, each player must contribute to the pot a specified amount called an ante. Depending on the game, players may also be required to place additional contributions at regular intervals during the hand. A player who bets exactly equal to the bet made by the player before him is said to call, and a player who bets more than the previous bet is said to raise. Some games allow players to check, meaning that they do not bet at all during a round.

The player to the right of the button shuffles the deck and deals the cards. He is the first player to act in a hand pre-flop and is to the left of the button for subsequent betting rounds.

A hand consisting of two distinct pairs and a fifth card. It breaks ties when no one else has a pair.