Poker is a popular card game that allows players to wager cash. Each player makes an ante, or small bet, before betting into the pot in the middle. The player with the best hand wins the pot. Betting rounds are done clockwise, and each player has three options when betting: fold, match, or raise their initial bet.

During the betting rounds, players must check their hand before placing any money into the pot. The minimum hand to make a bet is sometimes a pair of jacks. If a player has these cards, it is called a backdoor flush. If this happens, a player has a large statistical advantage over the opponent.

In a typical game, each player is dealt a set number of cards. This number can vary, but the ideal number is between 6 and eight players. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. However, in some games, the highest-ranking hand is rewarded with the pot. A player may also win the pot simply by making the last bet and not getting beat.

The highest possible hand is a straight flush, which is five cards of the same suit in succession. The highest straight flush is the A, Q, J, and 10 of a single suit. This hand is also called a royal flush. The chances of making this hand are approximately one in 650,000. The next best hand is four of a kind. This hand can be made up of any four cards in sequence.