Poker is a card game that involves betting between players. It has many variations, but most share a common set of rules. Players may bet money or chips in order to increase their chances of winning a hand. Players can also bluff, which increases the value of a hand.

The game’s popularity has increased in recent years, partly because of online gambling and TV shows that feature high-stakes tournament play. It is a game of skill, with strategies that can be learned and improved over time.

Some games have blind bets that are placed before the cards are dealt. These bets can replace or be in addition to the ante. During the betting rounds, players may check, call, raise or fold. The goal is to win the pot, or the sum of all bets made during a hand.

Throughout history, poker has evolved, with new combinations of cards and hand values. For example, the introduction of English 52-card decks around 1850 opened up a whole new range of possibilities.

The highest ranking poker hand is a royal flush, which consists of the ace, king, queen, and jack of the same suit. The second highest hand is a straight, which consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit. The third highest hand is four of a kind, which consists of three matching cards. The lowest hand is two pair, which consists of two matching cards and one wild card.