Hundreds of different variations of poker are played, and there is no universally-accepted set of rules. However, the most common game is Texas Hold’Em. Players use plastic chips to make bets. During each betting interval, bets are placed in clockwise order.
The goal is to create the best possible hand. The player with the highest-ranking hand wins the pot. If two or more players have the same hand, a high card breaks the tie.
The game begins with an ante, which is a small buy-in. It varies by the game, but is usually around $1 or $5. Then, each player is dealt two cards. They can choose to bet, fold, or check.
If there is a tie, the high card breaks the tie and awards the pot to the winner. If two identical hands are tied, the player with the higher-ranking pair wins the pot.
Aside from the cards, players are also given poker chips. These are usually dark-colored. They are worth 10 or 25 whites, depending on the color. A red chip is worth five whites.
After the first betting interval, the players continue to make bets until everyone calls. The game then moves to a second betting interval. When the betting is complete, each player has the same number of chips as the previous players. After the second betting interval, the final betting interval begins. This is called a “showdown”.
At the end of the game, the highest-ranking hand wins the pot. When the winner is not known, the remaining players split the pot. This is sometimes known as tanking.