Poker is a game of chance, but it can also involve a large amount of skill and psychology. In its simplest form, the object of poker is to win the pot – the sum of all bets made during one deal. This may be achieved by having the highest ranked poker hand when the cards are shown or by continually betting that your hand is the best and getting others to fold until you have no competition.
Each player begins by placing an ante into the pot, usually small amounts of chips (representing money). Players then receive two cards face down. Depending on the rules of the game they can either call (put in the same amount as the person before them) or raise (bet a higher amount).
After a round of betting is completed a dealer will put three more cards face up on the table. These are called the flop. Then another round of betting takes place. After the third round is complete the dealer will put a fourth card on the table which anyone can use. This is the turn.
After the fourth and final round of betting is complete, each player must show their cards. The player with the highest ranked poker hand wins the pot. This is known as the Showdown. If more than one player has the same high hand then a tie is awarded. If the high hands are identical then the highest card breaks the tie.