Poker is a family of comparing card games that are played all over the world. The games share common rules but may vary according to the place where the game is played.
Poker is played with a normal 52-card deck. Traditionally, the cards are dealt face down. Players can then discard some of their cards. Alternatively, players can draw new cards from the top of the deck. A player can make forced bets, known as ante, to increase the amount of money in the pot.
All poker games involve at least one betting round. During this round, players can either place a bet or fold. After the round, bets are gathered into the central pot.
Players can also choose to call a raise, thereby increasing the total amount of money in the pot. Another option is to all-in, in which players show their hand to collect the remaining chips in the pot.
There are hundreds of different variations of poker. Some versions do not consider flushes or straights, while others award the pot to the highest hand.
For example, in the classic game of Texas hold ’em, a hand must have at least two pair. In a seven-card stud, a player must have the best five-card hand. Sometimes, the pot is divided between the highest and lowest hands.
Most modern forms of poker include forced bets, which are referred to as ante, blind, or a bluff. These are often made with ceramic chips.