Poker is a card game that can be played by two to seven players. It is most often played using a standard 52-card English deck, but can be played with one or more jokers/wild cards.
During a hand, each player studies their cards and then decides whether or not to play. If they do, they must bet before discarding cards to improve their hand. After all bets are placed, the remaining cards are shown and whoever has the best hand wins. If two players have equal hands, the winnings are shared.
A royal flush contains an ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the same suit. A straight contains five consecutive cards of the same suit but does not include an ace. Three of a kind has three cards each of the same rank, while a pair consists of two cards of the same rank and an unmatched fifth card. High card breaks ties in case of equal hands.
Many people learn to play poker by hanging out with other poker players. While talking about poker strategy with friends is fun, the most valuable information can be gained from a few people that excel at the game. These people will be able to explain how they think about certain parts of the game and make it easier for others to emulate their decisions. This is much more valuable than simply listening to someone talk about their strategy without being able to explain why they do what they do.