Poker is a card game in which players wager chips on the outcome of a hand. The game is derived from a variety of earlier vying games, including Primero (16th century, Spanish), Flux and Post (French, 17th – 18th centuries), and Brag (18th – 19th centuries).

In most poker variants, each player places a mandatory bet into the pot before being dealt 2 cards face down. These are known as a player’s hole or pocket cards and cannot be seen by other players. After these initial betting rounds, 3 cards are dealt face up in stages called the flop, then another single card is revealed and bet on. The player with the highest-ranking five-card hand wins the pot.

To make your article about Poker compelling and readable, you must have a clear understanding of the rules and different methods used by players to read each other’s cards and tells. It is also important to incorporate personal anecdotes and your enthusiasm for the game into your writing as admissions officers can often sense that you’re genuinely passionate about the topic. Lastly, be sure to include some examples of hands that demonstrate how your readers can apply your knowledge of the game to improve their own play.