Poker is a game of chance and skill. The aim of the game is to form the best hand possible from five cards. There are several variants of the game, but most of them will have you wagering into a central pot.

A player’s hand is comprised of four cards of the same rank and two of the same suit. For example, a pair of Kings isn’t bad off the deal, but a straight flush would be better. In a tie, the high card breaks the tie, a feat made easier by the presence of a high card.

When forming a hand, players can discard up to three cards. However, they cannot force other players to do so. This is because each player must wager before discarding.

After each round of betting, a new card is dealt. This is known as the draw phase. Afterwards, a second round of betting begins. If anyone raises their stake, play moves directly to the next round.

The best hand is the one containing the lowest number of cards, while the worst hand is the one with the most cards. It is not uncommon to see multiple pairs and other types of hands in a single poker game.

In some variants, a wild card is used to complete the hand. Besides the usual king, ace and deuce, these cards can be anything. Known as the poker equivalent of a joker, a wild card can be any card from any suit.