Poker is a card game in which players compete to form the best five-card hand. The game can be played with any number of players, from two to fourteen, although in most forms the ideal number is six or seven.
The cards are dealt face up in a standard 52-card pack, sometimes with the addition of one or two jokers. The players take turns to deal and bet, betting in clockwise order.
Before the game begins, each player may be required to make a contribution to the pot, called an ante. This ante is usually a small amount (our games are typically nickels), and is used to cover the cost of the cards.
Each player in turn is allowed to “bet,” by putting into the pot an amount of chips that exactly matches the previous bet. This is called “calling.”
A player can also bet more than the previous bettor, in which case they are said to “raise.” A player may also “check,” by putting no chips into the pot and leaving the betting interval.
When a player checks, they must wait for the next betting interval before they can make another bet. If no one has made a bet in that interval, they may remain in the game by dropping.