Poker is a card game that requires both skill and luck. It can be played in cash or tournament games and has many variants. It is a social game and the by-play between players makes it interesting. The game also involves bluffing and reading body language. Writing an article about poker should be engaging for the reader and provide them with a good understanding of the strategy and tactics involved in the game. This can be done by using personal anecdotes or describing the famous tells that players use to give away information about their hand.

Each player begins the game with a fixed amount of chips. Usually a white chip is worth one low-denomination bet; a red chip is worth five whites, etc. The players then take turns betting. They can bet more than their initial investment if they have a good hand. They can also raise the stakes by saying “raise” or “fold.”

At the end of each betting street, all the cards are revealed and the highest hand wins the pot. A high pair is two matching cards of the same rank, a straight is 5 consecutive cards of the same suit, and a flush is any combination of three of these cards.

In some situations, the players may establish a special fund called a “kitty.” This is used to pay for new decks of cards and other supplies. Any chips left in the kitty when the game ends are divided evenly among the players who are still in the game.