Poker is a card game played in various forms by people from all over the world. Its greatest popularity is in the United States where it is played in private homes, poker clubs, in casinos and over the Internet. It has been called the national card game and its play and jargon permeate American culture.

The object of the game is to make the best five-card “hand” by combining your own two cards with the community (common) cards that are dealt after you. Players place “chips” (representing money) into the pot for each betting interval. Depending on the game rules, a player can call the bet, raise it or concede and drop out of the hand. A player who wins the hand takes the entire pot/all of the bets placed during that deal.

During the betting phase of a hand, players may bluff by betting that they have the highest ranked hand and hoping that other players will call their bets. The player who has the highest ranked hand when all the players drop out is declared the winner of that round and takes the entire pot/all bets made during that deal.

When writing about Poker, it is important to write with enthusiasm and personality. Admissions officers can tell when a writer is simply reciting facts and not truly enthused by the subject matter. It is also important to understand the rules of Poker and be able to explain these in a clear and concise manner. A good understanding of the psychology and mathematics of the game is helpful as well.