A card game that involves betting among a group of players. It is typically played with a deck of 52 cards, and the goal is to have the highest-ranking hand. The game is usually divided into a number of rounds. Each round is ended when all players either fold or reveal their cards. The player who has the highest-ranking hand wins the pot.

If a player has two matching cards, they have a pair. If they have three matching cards, they have a full house. If they have four matching cards, they have a royal flush. Other poker hands include one pair, three of a kind, and a straight.

To win a hand, a player must bet more than or equal to the last raiser. If they cannot do this, they must either call the stake or fold. If they call, they will stay in the pot without revealing their hand until a showdown, and can win a maximum of the amount they have staked.

The main challenge for writing an article about poker is to make it interesting. This can be achieved by using a mixture of personal anecdotes, details about other players, and expert advice. It can also be helpful to keep a file of poker hands, both those that you have played, and those from other sources. This will allow you to write articles about a wide range of hands and situations. You can then use this knowledge to create more interesting articles, for example by describing how a particular hand was played, or whether a specific strategy was successful or not.