Poker is a game of chance played with cards. It is typically played in private homes, casinos and online. The object of the game is to get as many chips from your opponents as you can. This is usually accomplished by placing a bet.

There are many variations of the game. Some games require players to make an ante before the cards are dealt. Other games allow players to use a wild card. In most cases, poker is played with a standard pack of 52 cards.

In the first round, all players are given three cards. These are shuffled by the dealer. Cards are then dealt one at a time. After the deal, a second round of betting takes place.

A showdown is a round in which the players reveal their hands. Each player’s hand is then evaluated. If a player has a hand that is better than the others, they may win the pot.

Most poker variants have a betting interval. Players may choose to shuffle their own cards or take a new card from the top of the deck.

In the U.S., poker is generally considered the national card game. Many people believe that the name poker is derived from the French game poque, which was adapted from a German version called primero. Both of these games were popular during the American Revolution.

A pair of aces is the lowest hand. One of the most common winning hands is a straight, which is a hand of two distinct pairs plus a fifth card.