Poker is a card game in which players wager chips, called “money”, on the outcome of the hand. There are many variations of the game, but most involve betting on a combination of five cards. A poker hand’s value is in inverse proportion to its mathematical frequency; the higher the combination, the more valuable the hand. Players may also bluff, betting that they have a strong hand when in fact they do not.
During gameplay, the dealer is responsible for distributing the chips that players bet into the main pot and any side pots created after another player all in. In addition, the dealer is required to monitor and enforce gameplay etiquette. If a player is acting inappropriately or does not adhere to gameplay rules, the dealer should notify them and/or call over the floor man to resolve the situation.
After shuffling and cutting the deck, the dealer deals each player one card face down, then another card face up. The player with the highest card wins the button. If two or more players have the same high card, ties are broken by using suits as tiebreakers: spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs (ranked highest to lowest). In each betting interval, the first player to act places chips into the pot equal to or greater than the amount placed in by the player to his left. This is known as calling. Typically, the first player to call also checks his own hand.