Poker is a family of comparing card games in which players wager over which hand is best. Each variant of the game has its own rules.

The game is played with a standard deck of cards, which is divided into two sections – face up and face down. Each player receives one card in each section.

After the initial deal, each player must make one or more forced bets (an ante in draw poker and a blind bet in stud poker).

Each of these bets has to be placed into the central pot. The players may choose to “call,” which means that they will put into the pot the same amount of chips as the previous player, or they can “raise” by putting in more than the last player’s call.

These bets are made in each of the betting intervals according to the rules of the specific poker variant being played. In each betting interval, the first player to the left of the dealer must make the first bet.

In any subsequent betting interval, the player to his left must either “call,” which means that they will put into the pot at least as much chips as the previous player, or they can “raise,” which means that they will put in more than the previous player’s call.

In a game with many players, the bets are made in an orderly fashion, usually by starting with the first player to the left and going clockwise. If a player is no longer able to compete for the pot, they can “drop” or fold.