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The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game in which players try to make the best hand possible. The aim is to win a sum of money called the pot, which is awarded to the player with the highest-ranking poker hand.

A player’s hand is made up of a combination of their own cards and the cards in the pot (called the community cards). The community cards are dealt face-up on the table and can be used by any player.

Each player’s hand is developed by betting during each round of the deal. At the end of each round, the player who has the best poker hand collects the pot without having to show their hand.

The first betting round begins with each player, one at a time, making a bet of one or more chips. Each player to the left must then either “call” the bet by putting into the pot the same number of chips; or “raise,” which means that they put in more than enough chips to call; or “fold” (“quit”), which means that they place no chips into the pot and discard their hand.

If a player folds out of turn, the dealer pipes up quickly to stop gameplay and ensure that more players don’t fold out of turn. This is poor gameplay etiquette, as it prevents the action from proceeding in a proper manner from one player to the next.