Poker is a game of chance. The highest-valued card in a hand wins. Players can place bets in front of their cards, which determine their odds of winning. There are many different variations of Poker, which are described in this chapter. More than ten players can participate in a single game, or divide into two separate games, depending on the number of participants. This makes Poker an ideal game for parties. Here are some of the most common variations:

A pot is the sum of the bets placed by all players during a given betting interval. In a game of Poker, the pot is the sum of all bets made by all players during a single deal. A player can win the pot by having the highest-ranking poker hand or by making a bet that no one else calls. A player can also fold his or her hand if he or she has no winning hand.

Players begin the game by placing bets. Each player receives one card face up. After three rounds of betting, the active players are shown their hole cards. During each betting interval, the first bettor, or player with the highest poker combination, must bet a minimum amount of chips. Later on, the first player may check his or her hand or check his or her card. But the game continues until only one player remains in the pot.