Poker is a card game that requires skill and strategy to win. It can be played between 2 players and up to 14 people, but the ideal number of players is 6. The object of the game is to win a “pot,” which is the sum of all bets made during a deal. The pot may be won by having the highest-ranking poker hand or by making a bet that no other player calls.
The rules of poker vary from game to game, but most versions involve the use of a standard 52-card English deck. The game was likely invented in the early 19th century and spread to America by Mississippi riverboats, French influence, and soldiers during the Civil War. It became a staple of Wild West saloons and eventually reached Europe by the 1870s.
A dealer is responsible for shuffling the cards and dealing them to each player. This person is sometimes a non-player and other times a player takes turns being the dealer. In some cases, a specific chip is used to indicate who has the dealer role.
After each player has received their two hole cards, a round of betting begins. This is triggered by an initial amount of money being placed into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer, known as forced bets or blinds. A player can choose to call, raise or fold, depending on their knowledge of the odds and other strategic factors.