Poker is one of the most popular games in the world, both online and in land-based casinos. Its rich history goes back centuries and it continues to grow for years to come. There are a range of poker stars who have made it big in the game and some players even have celebrity status due to their achievements.

While some people only play poker in their free time, others take it quite seriously and compete in tournaments. There are a number of official organizations that manage the game and its rules and regulations. The most important is the Professional Tournament Directors Association (also known as the Poker TDA). It consists of more than 2,500 managers of major live and online poker events.

When a hand is in progress, each player must place an ante (the amount varies depending on the game) to begin betting. Once the bets are placed, everyone receives two cards face down, which are called their hole cards. Then five community cards are dealt in three stages: the flop, the turn and then the river. The highest combination of community cards and a player’s hole cards wins the pot.

While it is not strictly a violation of poker rules, it is against good sportsmanship to peek at other player’s cards while they look at their own. This was alleged to have happened in April when Ali Imsirovic peeled Paul Phua’s cards in the live event at Triton.