Poker is a card game where the twin elements of luck and skill are both required to win. The game can be played with a single deck of cards or with multiple cards dealt to each player. Players may place chips (representing money) into a pot before betting occurs and during betting intervals in each round. The winner of a hand wins all the chips in the pot, which is the sum total of bets placed at each round.
In many variants of poker, the game begins with a forced bet – either an ante or blind bet (or both). The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals them to each player, starting with the player to his left. The player’s hidden cards are called his hole or pocket. Each player then decides whether to call, raise, or fold his cards.
During each betting interval, each player must place chips into the pot (representing money) according to the rules of the game. Players may also put all their remaining chips into the pot (called all-in). There are typically special rules about how this works, depending on the game and the situation.
A player’s final hand is determined after the last bet is made, and the remaining cards are revealed. The best five-card hand wins the pot. If more than one hand has the highest value, the higher-ranking hands share the pot. There are several variations of this, including a high-low split or a split pot.