Poker is a gambling game where players try to win by having the best hand. Players bet into a pot and reveal their hands at showdown. If two or more players have the same cards, the one with the highest card wins.

A standard deck of 52 cards is used for poker. Cards are ranked from Ace to Ten. Most games involve an ante.

A pair of jacks is considered a minimum hand. In some games, the ace is considered the lowest card. During the draw, players may also shuffle the cards. Some variant games have wild cards. The winner takes the pot.

Two players may tie with the same card, if they have the same rank or type. If the tie breaks, the player with the high card is the winner.

One of the most popular types of poker is stud. Stud poker is a game that was introduced during the American Civil War. Each player is dealt seven cards. They take turns revealing their cards.

Another version of poker is called three-card brag. It was popular in the U.K. during the American Revolution. This game has been revived in modern times.

Other variations include community card poker and lowball poker. These games also have betting intervals. Usually, the limit is twice as high during the final betting interval.

There are more than a hundred variants of poker. Poker has become one of the most popular recreational activities. More than 100 million people play it online. Approximately 60 million players play poker in the United States.