Poker is a family of card games where players compete to make the best hand. The game’s rules specify how many cards can be held, and the players then make wagers based on the rankings of their hands. The best hand in poker is known as a high-hand, and the highest-hand in a low-hand game is known as a high-low-hand. A poker hand is similar to a chess hand, but the differences between the two are minimal.
In most poker games, players use chips to play the game. The lowest-valued chip is a white chip. The highest-valued chip is a red chip. Blue chips are worth ten, twenty, or fifty whites. The different chips are called “buy-ins,” and players “buy-in” by purchasing one. Usually, each player buys in for the same amount of chips, and the winnings from the previous rounds of the game are accumulated in the central pot.
Before playing a hand of poker, players may have to make a contribution to the pot. This is called an ante. The first player to place a bet is said to bet. The next player to bet is known as the “caller.” Then, the next player to bet is said to raise. The last player to check is a “checker,” and he must make sure that no other players have bet on the hand.