Poker is a card game where players make bets on the quality of their hand. A bet can be made directly into the pot, or players may bluff to get other players to fold. Usually, the simplest way to win is by having the highest ranking combination of cards.

The most popular form of poker is the Texas Hold’em game. This is played with a standard 52-card deck and plastic chips. Before the game begins, the poker dealer assigns values to the chips. Aside from the chips, players also have the option of setting up a special fund called the kitty. This is used to pay for new decks of cards.

The first player in the game has the right to make the first bet. It is important that a bet is not made unless the player has a minimum hand. The ante is the smallest bet, which is usually around $1 or $5.

The showdown is the moment that all the cards are revealed. Each player has five cards in hand. This is followed by another round of betting. If a player bets the most in the round, the other players must match the bet. If no one bets, the player with the most valuable hand wins the pot.

The pot is the aggregate of all bets made by all the players in a single deal. The pot can be won by making a bet that no other player has called, or by having the highest hand.