Poker is a gambling game in which players wager chips, either real or fake, on the outcome of a card hand. A poker game can be played with any number of players, but it is best to play with at least six or eight people.

Players can check or raise the pot, or they can re-raise a previous bet. Checks are “bets of nothing”. In contrast, raises are “bets of more”.

If a player owes something to the pot, he is called to call. After three raises, the betting interval is closed. The pot is won by the highest hand.

Some variations have special rules, such as the draw. This type of game requires a player to ante up a certain amount of money before he can see his cards. However, this is not the only way to win.

There are also fewer-card games, such as Three-Card Monte. These are played with a single deck of cards.

Usually, the chips are black or red, though other colors are available. Chips are worth between two and five reds, or 10 to 25 whites.

Each player can discard up to three cards. They are dealt to the player to his left in rotation. Once the dealer shuffles, the players can then see their hand.

Aside from betting, players can make forced bets, or antes. These may be based on their chance or on the probability of other players catching the same card.