Poker is a card game that involves betting. When a player has two pairs of cards, the highest pair wins. In case of a tie, the second highest pair wins. A high card breaks ties when no one has a pair. A high card can also be used to break ties when there are several players with the same type of high hand.

The number of players in the game varies from four to eight. However, the optimal number is six or eight. The amount of money in the pot, or “pot,” is the total sum of all the bets made by all players in a single deal. A player can win the pot if they have the best poker hand, or if they make a bet that no other player calls.

Each player has the right to place a bet, but there are specific requirements for each player. Typically, players must make a minimum ante in order to enter the game. This is usually a bet equal to the number of chips each previous player placed into the pot. This is known as “sandbagging.”

Almost all games are played with poker chips. For games with seven or more players, you should supply poker chips to each player. A white chip is the lowest-valued chip. A red chip is worth five whites, and a blue chip is worth two, four, or five reds. In many games, players buy into the game by purchasing chips.