Poker is a card game in which players place bets on the strength of their hands. The player with the highest hand wins all the money in the pot at the end of the round. The game can be played with a variety of numbers of cards and has many different variants. The game can be very fast-paced and requires good reading skills.

To begin a hand, each player puts an amount of money in the center of the table. This is called the ante. After that, each player is dealt five cards. When betting comes around to you, you can choose to call the previous bet, raise it or fold your hand. If you fold, you cannot compete for the pot and will not win the round.

Players then take turns clockwise revealing their hands. The player with the best five-card hand wins the round. If no one has a five-card hand, the pot is split among the players with pairs, flushes or straights. If everyone has the same pair, then the high card breaks the tie.

To make a story about Poker interesting, you need to focus on the people and their reactions. If you describe a series of card draws, bets and checks, the story will feel lame or gimmicky. Instead, focus on the drama and tension that builds over time as the cards are played.