Generally speaking, poker is a game of betting. Players place bets based on the value of their hand. The player with the best hand wins the pot. The pot is the total amount of money bet by all players. There are several variations of the game.

Players may be required to place an ante before the deal. The ante is usually a small bet. The table may determine the amount of the ante.

The cards are dealt face up. The dealer may pass out all cards at once or shuffle the cards.

Players may choose to check, raise or fold. If a player chooses to fold, he or she puts all of the cards on the table. If a player chooses to raise, he or she bets more than the previous bettor. If a player chooses to check, he or she bets nothing.

The cards are ranked from Ace to Ace. Two of a kind, three of a kind, and four of a kind are considered strong hands. Ties are broken by a high card. Two or more players tie for the highest card when they have a pair. When all players have a pair, the high card wins.

Poker betting is done in a clockwise fashion. The player to the left is the first to act. He or she posts a small blind. He or she then posts the big blind. A turn to bet is then passed from player to player.