There are many rules that govern the game of Poker. The first rule involves the pot. The pot is the sum of all the bets that were placed by all the players in a particular deal. The highest ranking poker hand can win the pot, or any player can win the pot by making a bet and not getting called by any other players. The game of Poker is played with many different variants. Each one has its own unique rules and strategy, but the same basic principles apply to all.

A poker hand consists of five cards. The higher the card, the better the hand. The highest-valued hand wins. The game is played with five or more players. Some variants have multiple decks, allowing for more than one player to participate. However, the standard deck is the most common. Two-pack games are also played, allowing for faster play. A two-pack game is usually played in a club, or in a single room. During the initial deal, the previous dealer deals out the cards from the dealt pack, and then passes the shuffled deck to the next dealer.

Each player contributes to the pot before the deal is made. This contribution is known as an ante. A player who bets first is called the first bettor. A player who bets after the first bettor is the second bettor. A player who bets more than the previous bettor is called a “raise.” A player who checks does not make a bet and does not raise. The betting interval ends when the last raise or all players have checked their cards.