Poker

Poker is a family of card games in which players wager on the strength of their hands or on the likelihood that opponents will fold. Most forms use a standard 52-card deck and a sequence of betting rounds that may end in a showdown when multiple players remain. Hands are ranked from high card to straight flush, with the straight flush (including the royal flush as the highest example) at the top. The game combines skill, strategy, and elements of chance, with players using position, betting patterns, and pot odds to influence decisions. Common variants include Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud. In Hold'em and Omaha, players receive private cards and share community cards; in Stud there are no shared cards.

Texas Hold'em is the dominant variant in both cash games and tournaments, and no-limit betting structures are widely used in major events. Other formats include fixed-limit and pot-limit variants, as well as different numbers of players and seating arrangements. Play proceeds through several rounds of betting: preflop, the flop, the turn, and the river in Hold'em and Omaha; Stud games proceed through different streets. The objective is to win the pot either by having the best five-card hand at showdown or by inducing opponents to fold.

Poker has roots in 19th-century gambling and draws on older games from Europe and North America. It rose to prominence in the United States during the 20th century and expanded internationally with casinos and online platforms. Major events such as the World Series of Poker have helped establish formal competition and rankings. Legal status and access to poker vary by jurisdiction and platform, influencing how the game is played and organized.