Poker is a game of chance, based on the fundamental concept of risk versus reward. The objective is to win the pot, which is the sum of all the bets made in a particular deal. This may be accomplished by having the highest-ranking hand or making a bet that no other player calls.
Players use poker chips, which are usually red, white, black, blue, or green, but can be any color they like. Each chip is worth a certain amount of cash, based on the values assigned to each chip before the start of the game.
In the beginning of a poker game, each player “buys in” by purchasing a set number of chips. Each player then gets a turn to bet, check, raise, or fold their cards.
There are several betting intervals in each round, which are specified by the rules of the variant being played. In each interval, a player who is to the left of a previous player must make a bet, either by calling the bet of that earlier player or by raising it by adding more chips than called.
A player can also “check” the pot, which means that they do not make any additional bets in that round. However, if the player who “checked” makes another bet, the other players must then call that new bet or fold their hands.