The game of poker has many different origins. Some say it was first played in Persia, and other sources claim that it was first played in Europe. Regardless of the exact origins, the game is known to have its roots in the seventeenth century French game poque, from which the word poker derives. Poque developed alongside the German version, pochen, and as a new version of the Spanish game primero. Eventually, it made its way to the New World through French settlers.

At the start of the game, any player is dealt a deck of cards. The two hidden cards are called the player’s pocket or hole. After the first two players have placed their bets, the dealer begins dealing the next three cards face-up in the center of the table, called the flop. These community cards are used to build the hands of each player. The dealer has the last right to shuffle the cards before each deal.

Different poker variants have different betting rules. In stud and draw poker, the final betting interval is usually double the amount bet before the next round. In addition, players have a different betting limit when they have exposed pairs. In most cases, this limit applies when the players have a full house and a pair of jacks. If no player raises their bet, the other players may make a call. If all players call, fold, or check, the round ends.