Poker is a card game that involves betting between two or more players. The object is to have the best hand at the end of a round of betting. While poker involves luck, skill and strategy are important aspects of the game.
Each player buys in for a set amount of chips that represent money. These chips are usually white or light-colored and each represents a value of at least one ante or bet. The player to the left of the button begins by raising his or her bet. If no raise is made, then the turn passes to another player.
The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals each player a number of cards, either face-up or face-down depending on the variant being played. A player may then decide to make additional bets based on his or her own valuation of the potential of his or her hand. These bets are collected in a central pot and awarded to the player with the highest-ranking hand at the end of the round.
The rules of Poker vary between different versions of the game, but there are several things that all games have in common. These include: