Poker is a card game in which players independently try to assemble a high-ranking hand of cards. The highest-ranking hand wins a pot, which is typically money or chips. Players can also bluff, betting that they have the best hand even when they do not. In this way, a player can win a pot without having the best hand by forcing players holding inferior hands to call his or her bets.
There are many variations of the game, but most involve a common process. Each player takes two cards and places a bet (representing money) into the pot before the deal begins. In most games, a player may not raise his or her bet more than a set amount, which is called the limit. This limit varies depending on the type of game, but usually it is five or ten chips.
Once each player has placed their bet, the dealer deals one additional card face-up to each player, and a round of betting begins. At the end of the betting interval, each player who remains shows his or her cards and the best hand wins the pot.
The standard 53-card pack used for poker includes the joker, which counts as a wild card only when forming part of a flush (five consecutive cards of the same suit) or certain other special hands. The jack of spades and the king of hearts are often designated as wild cards as well.