Poker is a card game played by players with chips, who combine their own cards with the community cards to make the best possible hand. The highest hand wins the pot, which can be divided amongst the winners or shared between all players who remain in the hand.

There are many different types of poker variants, each with its own set of rules. It is important to know the basics of each one, so you can choose the right one for your level of play.

Before the cards are dealt, players must ‘ante’ a contribution of one or more chips, which are usually a small amount (in our games, we ante a nickel). When the betting round begins, each player has the option to ‘call’, ‘raise’, or ‘fold’.

When a player calls, the player is required to match the amount of the current bet made by his opponent(s). If the player raises, the player first bets enough to match the last bet, and then raises it another amount.

The betting continues until all the players have called or folded, at which point the betting round ends. Then the players in the hand reveal their hands.

A showdown occurs, and the player with the highest poker hand formed between their shared cards and their hole cards wins the pot. If there is a tie, then the pot is split between all of the players who are still in the hand.

Poker is an international game, and as a result there are various local customs and preferences, but the official poker rules are managed by the professional Tournament Directors Association (TDA). The TDA is made up of managers of large live-poker rooms, circuits, or independent tournaments around the world.