Poker is a casino game in which players compete to win chips. Players in a hand are required to contribute to the pot before the game begins. Each player must place in the pot a certain number of chips equal to the total contribution made by the players before them. When a player leaves a game before it ends, he or she is not entitled to the kitty.

During a hand, the aim is to have the best hand from the available cards. If a hand is not good enough, a player may discard one or more cards. Then, the player can bet again. If a player has a winning hand, they show it to the other players in the game.

A player who receives a pair of jacks is called the dealer. The dealer then deals five cards face up to each player in the round. After the dealer deals the first hand, the turn to deal goes to the player on the left of the dealer. After each hand, the turn to bet and deal passes clockwise from one player to the next. The player left of the dealer posts a small blind and a big blind, which is a forced bet. This gives players something to chase.

If the remaining players check or raise their stakes, play proceeds to the next round. The player with the best hand wins the pot. Otherwise, the game ends when all remaining players Fold or Call, or if someone raises their stake. The last round of betting is called the showdown.