The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game played by two or more players. It is a game of chance, but can also be influenced by skill. The game’s popularity increased in the early 21st century, partly due to broadcasting of major poker tournaments. In addition, the invention of hole-card cameras allowed viewers to follow the action and drama of the game.

In the simplest form, each player has 2 cards that are dealt face down to them and 5 community cards are then revealed in three stages called the flop, turn, & river. The highest five-card hand wins the pot. A player may choose to call, raise or fold his/her hand during the betting rounds.

There are many variations of poker, but the majority of them share a common set of rules. A few of the more popular include Texas Hold’em, Omaha high/low, and seven-card stud.

The rules for poker games differ between different tables, but most involve a fixed amount of money in the pot and a minimum number of chips to play. Typically, the lowest-valued chip is worth one white chip; higher-valued chips are valued at 10, 20, or 25 whites, or two, four, or five reds.

When it is a player’s turn, they say “call” or “I call” to make a bet equal to the last bet made. If they want to raise the bet, they say “I’m raising.” Any extra chips added to the pot after the raise are placed in a special fund known as the kitty.