The Official Poker Rules

Poker is a card game in which players wager money or chips against each other for the pot. The rules of poker vary by game, but most games involve betting rounds and a showing of hands at the end of the round. There is also a bluffing element to the game, and players can attempt to predict what their opponents are holding.

Several variants of poker are played, with different rules and traditions. Traditionally, the game has been played with a standard 52-card pack, although in some clubs two packs of cards are used. This is done to speed up the game and is referred to as a “two-pack game.”

The dealer shuffles, then deals cards one at a time, beginning with the player to their right. This may be a face-up or face-down deal depending on the game. Then the first of many betting rounds begins. At the end of the round, the players reveal their hands and the winner takes the pot.

In some games, the players will establish a special fund called a kitty to pay for things such as new decks of cards and food or drinks. This kitty is usually built by “cutting” one low-denomination chip from every pot in which there is more than one raise. When the game ends, any remaining chips in the kitty are split evenly among those players who are still in the hand. This rule is not universal, but it is generally regarded as one of the most important rules in poker.