Poker is a card game in which players place bets against one another based on probability, psychology and game theory. It is widely regarded as the national card game of the United States and its play and jargon permeate American culture.
There are many variants of poker, but the basic rules are similar across them. Each player must contribute chips into the pot before he can call, raise or fold his hand. This is done through forced bets, called “blinds”. The player to the immediate left of the dealer button has the small blind and the player two positions to his left has the big blind. These bets are a necessary part of the game and help players stay involved in each hand.
Once the players have made their forced bets they are dealt cards. The dealer shuffles the cards, then deals them to each player one at a time. The cards may be dealt face up or down depending on the particular variation of poker being played.