Poker is a card game in which players place bets on the probability of making a given hand. It is sometimes played for a fixed amount of money (the pot), which may be paid by all the players at some point in the course of a hand, or shared between the winning and losing hands. In most cases, Poker is a game of chance and luck; however, skilled players can minimize the impact of luck over time by carefully studying probabilities, reading opponents, and making bets that are appropriate to the circumstances.

A dealer chip is used to identify the player responsible for shuffles and dealing cards. In many games a non-player is assigned these duties; in others, each player takes turns being the dealer. The dealer is required to pass the deck around before each round of betting and to collect all bets placed during that round.

Each player is dealt five cards and must make a poker hand before the fifth card is dealt (the river). The highest poker hand wins the pot, which consists of all bets made during that round of betting.

Ties are broken by rank (e.g., four of a kind beats a straight), and by the suit if the hands have identical ranks. In rare cases (usually with wild cards) there can be identical pairs or three of a kind, in which case the higher pair breaks the tie.

Before each round begins the player must place a forced bet, called an ante, which is generally the same amount as the blind. This is done before the players see their cards and serves to ensure that everyone has some investment in each hand, although some bets are made voluntarily for strategic reasons.