Poker is a card game played by two or more players. It is usually played with a standard 52 card deck, with one or more jokers/wild cards added (depending on the rules of the game). The game can be played by two to seven players, although it is most commonly played by five or six. The game is governed by a set of rules that determine how the cards are dealt, the order of betting, and the winning hand.

The game is played by putting chips or cash in the pot to show that you have a hand of at least three cards, but no higher than a pair of sevens. You can then place more chips in the pot to raise your bet or make a call to match the bet of the player before you. If you have a strong hand, you can raise your bets to scare away weaker hands or force them into folding.

To make the story more interesting, focus most of your attention on the reactions between the players rather than the details of each hand. This will help keep the action tense and hold the reader’s interest.

You should also use pacing to maintain the tension. Using a slow start and a fast finish can help build and sustain the drama of each scene. Avoid the temptation to overwrite, especially in the early scenes. Describing each card draw, bet and reveal will feel lame or gimmicky.