Poker is a game in which players place bets. These bets can be placed after the initial deal and may be required before a round is completed. A round of poker includes three dealing rounds and each player gets a card face up or face down. After each round, a betting interval occurs, and then the hole cards are revealed. During the first betting interval, the player with the highest poker combination is called the “first bettor,” and must make a minimum bet. In later betting intervals, the player may check his or her hand.

Poker can be played with any number of players, but six to eight is ideal. Each round of poker has a dealer, who is responsible for shuffling the deck and dealing the cards to the players. The dealer is typically a player, but it can be a non-player. Players take turns being the dealer. The dealer is designated by a dealer chip and passes it to another player at the end of each round. The location of the dealer influences certain betting rules.

Traditionally, poker has been a game of chance, but recent US rulings have changed the legal stance of the game. In North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Colorado, the courts have ruled that the skill elements of the game outweigh the chance elements of the game.