Poker is a game of chance, where players bet money into the pot. A player who raises a bet more than his or her previous bet is called the “raiser”. After a number of rounds, or “folds”, players will reveal their cards, and the player with the highest hand wins the pot. The game is played in clockwise order, and betting continues until everyone calls or folds.
Poker is played between several people, usually around a circular or oval table. To start, every player receives a single card from the shuffled deck. The player with the highest card wins; ties are broken by dealing another card. The dealer then shuffles and cuts the deck, and the player clockwise from him/her advances the steps of play.
Poker is played with a minimum of two players, but may contain more or less players. The ideal number is six to eight. Each round of dealing is interrupted by a betting interval. The dealer is the last to shuffle the cards. If it is the dealer’s turn, he must offer the shuffled pack to his or her opponent for a cut.
The game of Poker has a storied history. Though no one can pinpoint the exact origins of the game, most believe that it was invented in the 17th century in France. The word “poke” comes from the French word poque, which means “card game”. In addition to this, the word “poke” was also used to refer to a similar game in Germany. Eventually, the game made its way to the New World with French settlers.
