Poker is a card game played by a group of people around a circular table. Each player is given two cards to start off the game. After these cards are dealt, the players begin betting. The highest hand wins the pot. If a tie occurs, the high card breaks it.
Players are given the option of checking, matching, or raising the bet. They can also choose to fold. A player may bluff to get other players to fold.
When all players have placed their bets, a showdown is held. The winner of the showdown is the player with the best poker hand.
Poker can be played with real money or with chips. Chips are usually made of ceramic or plastic. Most are red or blue.
Poker chips are used for betting and can be traded for cash. Before the game begins, the dealer assigns a value to each chip. These values are usually small, like twenty cents, but can vary by game.
The ante is the minimum bet for a player. It is usually $1 or $5. This is the “buy in” for the round of play.
Once the bet is placed, the player must decide whether to raise or fold. Raising the bet requires that the opponent fold. Folding the bet means that the player will not be in the hand.
Flopping a full house is very difficult to beat. For this reason, players often check and re-raise to build the pot.