Pokker

Pokker is a family of betting card games played with a standard 52-card deck, in which players wager on the strength of their hands. The aim is to win chips either by having the best five-card hand at showdown or by causing opponents to fold before cards are revealed. The central mechanic involves private cards, shared cards, and multiple betting rounds, with rules that vary by variant.

The best-known variants include Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud. In Hold'em, each player receives two private cards and may use any combination of five community cards to form the best hand. In Omaha, players get four private cards and must use exactly two of them with three community cards. In Stud, players receive a mix of face-down and face-up cards over several rounds. Common betting cycles include preflop, flop, turn, and river, followed by a showdown when two or more players remain.

Hands are ranked using standard poker hand hierarchies, from high card to royal flush. Strategic elements include position, bluffing, pot odds, and risk management. The game blends mathematics, psychology, and betting discipline, and skill typically yields an advantage over time.

Pokker has a global presence in casinos, home games, and online platforms, with tournaments and leagues that attract players at all levels. The format and stakes vary by region, but the core concepts—betting, hand strength, and strategic deception—are common to most variants.