Poker is a card game in which players place chips (representing money) into the pot before each deal. Each player has the option to call, raise, or fold his or her hand during each betting interval. The object of the game is to win the pot, which may be done by having a high poker hand or by making the highest possible bet and forcing other players to call it. In some poker variants, the first player to make a bet is said to be raising.

The game is played with an ordinary 53-card pack including the joker, which is not used in the final poker hand but is sometimes designated as a wild card. The game spread to the United States from England after the American Civil War, where it was introduced to a wider audience of card enthusiasts.

A poker hand consists of five cards. Its value is in inverse proportion to its mathematical frequency; a rarer combination is worth more than a common one. The most valuable poker hands are a royal flush, straight, four of a kind, three of a kind, and two pair.

A good poker writer has an ability to write clearly, with an engaging style. This is especially important when writing for a general readership with varying degrees of familiarity with the subject matter. An excellent poker writer also keeps up with the latest trends and developments in the game, such as how different players think during a hand.