Poker is a card game that involves betting. The player with the highest-ranking hand at the end of each betting round wins the pot. The amount of money that is in the pot depends on the number of players and the particular poker variant being played.

The game has several rules that must be followed in order to play correctly. These include the ante, the amount that all players must put up before they receive their cards; saying call to raise the stakes after someone else has bet; and folding when you have a weak hand. Observing experienced players can also be useful for learning more about the game and how to improve your own play.

If you have two matching cards of the same rank, you can make a pair in poker by saying stay or hit. A three of a kind is three cards of the same rank, while four of a kind is 4 matching cards (such as four kings).

The best hands in poker are a straight flush and a royal flush. A royal flush is made of a 10 and the ace of one suit (clubs, hearts, diamonds, or spades). A straight flush is five consecutive cards of the same suit. The lower-ranking hands are a pair and a single card. To beat these, you must either call a bet or fold your cards. Generally, you should only call if the pot odds and potential returns are in your favor.