Poker is a card game that is played with a small number of players around a table, each of whom places bets (called chips) on the hand they believe they have the best. The player with the best hand wins the pot. Players can also check or raise a bet. A good poker player will mix up their betting and bluffing to keep their opponents guessing what they have in their hands.

There are many different poker variants, but all of them have a similar structure. Each player starts the game by “buying in” with a certain number of chips, which is usually the minimum ante or bet for the game. The chips are usually white or light colored, and each chip has a specific value: for example, one white chip is worth the minimum ante, a blue chip is often worth twenty-five whites, and a red chip is often worth five whites.

A player may choose to fold his or her cards after placing a bet, but must remain in the pot until the showdown. A player may also call a bet, raising it over the amount raised by the last active player, or, if they are unwilling to do so, they can leave the game. The ‘kitty’, a fund of low-denomination chips established by the players and used to pay for things like new decks of cards and food, is often kept in the game as well.