Poker is a card game of skill and strategy. It has a long history and is popular around the world, with many variants. It is considered to be the national card game of the United States and its play and jargon are part of American culture. It can be played in private games, card rooms, on the Internet and in casinos.
The objective of the game is to have a high hand consisting of five cards. The value of a hand is in inverse proportion to its mathematical frequency; the more rare the hand, the higher its rank. Players may bet that they have a superior hand, and other players must either call (match) the bet or concede. Players can also bluff by betting that they have a superior hand when they do not, in which case they win if other players do not call the bet.
When a player does not wish to place more money into the pot than his opponents, he may check his option. This is done by tapping the table with his fist, knuckles, an open hand or index finger(s). When all players check, the betting round is over and no additional money is placed into the pot.
There are many different types of poker hands, but the most common is a pair. This consists of two cards of the same rank and an unmatched third card. A straight is a running sequence of cards, irrespective of suit, and a flush is any five consecutive cards of the same suit.