Poker is a game played by a number of players, using cards and chips to make bets. The outcome is dependent on a number of factors, including chance, the cards, and the action of other players. There are many variants of poker.

A hand of five cards is called a poker hand. Each player is dealt a card face down, and then they may discard one or more of their cards to replace it. This is often known as draw poker.

A player may also call a raise, which is when a player raises the amount of the previous bet. In some games, a player may choose to bluff by making a raise and not knowing that the other player will fold.

Before the game begins, the dealer allocates a value to each chip. Cards are then dealt to each player in turn.

A betting interval occurs after each round of dealing. After the betting interval, the dealer shuffles the deck and deals the cards to the players again. Some players are required to place a certain amount into the pot before the deal, and this is called an ante.

Another type of betting interval is called the showdown. The showdown occurs when all the cards are revealed. The winner is the player who holds the highest-ranking poker hand. If two identical hands tie, the highest unmatched card breaks the tie.

The game of poker can be played with up to eight players. The ideal number is six to eight.