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The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game played between two or more players and traditionally involves betting with chips (representing money) in order to win a hand. It has many variants, but all involve the same basic elements: a hand comprised of five cards that is ranked according to its mathematical frequency; a player’s ability to place superior bets; and bluffing when players with superior hands do not call them.

Typically, the first player to act in a poker game places a forced bet, called an ante or blind bet, before each player is dealt their cards. This is followed by one or more betting intervals, as defined by the rules of the particular poker variant being played.

In each betting round, each player must make a bet in order to compete for the pot. In cash games, this bet may vary but is often within specified limits. In tournaments, the buyin is fixed and each player continues playing until they run out of chips.

A player may also choose to check, in which case they will pass their turn to act and wait until it is their turn again. Some players may also raise, or “raise”, during a betting round, in which case they will place more than their current bet into the pot. See the glossary entry on raises for more information.