Poker is a family of card games that includes such variants as Omaha and Stud. The rules vary from country to country, but the game is played with a deck of cards and one or more betting rounds.

Poker is a game of skill, chance and psychology. Its name probably comes from a German word meaning “poque,” which means to bluff. This is an important feature of the game.

Players can choose to play in either cash or tournaments. In a cash game, they must pay a buy-in. In a tournament, the buy-in is fixed.

The first round of play involves a series of bets that develop into a hand. A showdown is then held. When all the hands are revealed, the best hand wins.

Poker is usually played with a deck of 52 cards, although some games use a shorter pack. Cards are dealt face up. Some players may discard up to three cards.

A bet is placed in a central pot, or the pot, and each player must contribute an equal amount of chips. A bet is called a raise if the player must add to the current bet.

A forced bet is a bet that a player must make, such as a blind bet. There are many different types of forced bets, including ante and blind bets.

Pot limit games restrict the amount of money that can be placed into the pot. For example, in a stud game, the maximum bet is usually twice as much as in the final betting interval.