Poker is a popular game played with a deck of cards. The basic rules are to make the best hand possible. The player with the highest ranking poker hand wins the pot.

A common strategy for maximizing winnings is to bet only when you have a good hand. This can be accomplished by bluffing other players. For example, a player may say that he has the best hand, but then raise the bet of another player.

Each player has a limited number of chips. Usually, the chips are white, but they can also be red or black. They are usually worth between 10 and 25 whites, depending on the color.

Poker is usually played with a variety of variations, such as lowball and split-pot poker. Some games also have a side pot. These are special funds that are created by the remaining players. When they have enough chips, they can be used to pay for new decks of cards.

Players have to put in a certain amount of chips into the pot, but the amount of money can only be up to a certain limit. The player who is the first to make a bet has an obligation to do so. If a player folds, they will no longer be in contention for the pot.

During each betting interval, the active player must place the same amount of chips into the pot as the previous player. At the end of each betting interval, each player must show their cards.