Poker is a card game in which players wager chips (representing money) on the outcome of a hand. The game has many variants, but they all share some basic rules. The game is played by betting in turns, with each player placing the amount of his bet into a pot that is shared by all players. Players may also raise their bets, forcing other players to call or fold. Players may also bluff, betting that they have a good hand when in fact they do not. In such cases, other players may call the bluff and win.
After the first betting round is complete the dealer deals three cards face up on the table, called the flop. These are community cards that any player can use to make a poker hand.
If you have a pair of Aces off the deal your hand is very strong. However, if the flop contains lots of flush or straight cards it could spell trouble for you. The other players may have strong hands as well and they may be betting big.
A poker hand has a rank which is determined by its odds (probability). A straight is five cards in consecutive rank, but of different suits. A flush is three cards of the same rank, and a full house is two pairs plus one unmatched card. Ties are broken by the highest poker hand. If there is no high hand, the highest unmatched card wins.