Poker is a card game for 2-14 players where the aim is to win the pot, which is the total amount of bets made by all players in one deal. Players can call, raise, or fold in order to stay in the game and compete for the pot. They may also pass if they don’t want to bet, which is known as checking.

There are many variants of poker, but the most common type is cash games played by a small group of players around a table with chips. The game is very fast-paced, and the players bet continuously until someone has all of the chips or everyone folds. A player’s chip value depends on their rank in a poker hand, with the highest hand being a royal flush (all hearts, clubs, diamonds, and spades).

Some games require that all players place an initial amount into the pot before the cards are dealt. These forced bets are called antes, blinds, or bring-ins and come in different amounts depending on the rules of the game.

Writing about poker requires an understanding of the game’s rules and history as well as a good grasp of how to describe the action. It is important to be able to write clearly and include details that appeal to the reader’s senses, such as visual descriptions of card deals and the bluffing strategies used by poker players. Including personal anecdotes and explaining the methods that poker players use to read their opponents’ moves is also important, such as their tells, which can be as subtle as a change in posture or as complex as a gesture.