Official poker is a card game played throughout the world. It has its roots in a domino-card game that dates back to the 10th century Chinese emperor. The game eventually became popular in Europe and the United States.

Poker has become a favorite pastime among the general public. Most games feature a standard deck and a few rounds of betting. Although each game is different, there are a few basic rules you should know.

The ante is a wager put into the pot by each player before the start of a hand. The ante is raised at regularly scheduled intervals.

A flush is a hand containing five cards of the same suit. A full house consists of three of a kind, plus a pair.

Another tidbit is the UPCCARD. This is a face-up card that is dealt to opponents in stud games.

A pot consists of all bets placed into the center of the table. It is typically collected by the player with the highest hand. If more than one player is in contention, the pot may be split.

The full buy is the minimum amount that a player must spend in a single hand. An all-in is when all the playable chips are added to the pot.

In some games, a dead collection blind is used as a substitute for a seat. All players must sign in to the game.

As the name implies, the showdown is the moment when the winner of the pot is revealed. When the showdown occurs, each player has a limited amount of time to decide his or her action.