Poker is a game where players make bets in order to win. The first player to place a bet on a hand is known as the “button.” After a hand, the button moves clockwise, identifying the starting position. The action in the game always starts with the first person to the left of the button. This player must post a small blind or a big blind. Blinds are forced bets that provide players with something to chase.

The game can be played with any number of players, although six to eight players is ideal. The money in the pot, is the total amount of bets made by all players in one deal. The player with the highest ranking poker hand wins the pot if no one calls his or her bet. When a player wins the pot, he or she is said to have won the game. In this case, a player may also win by making a bet that no other player calls.

A player must also consider the limit of the pot. In a pot-limit game, a player cannot bet or raise more than the amount of chips in the pot at the time of the bet or raise. Typically, the limit in stud and draw poker is twice as high as in a no-limit game. Players with a pair or higher can raise by up to 14 chips.