Regardless of the name you use to describe it, poker is a gambling game. It is a card game that is played by a group of people around a circular table. The object of the game is to make the best possible hand of cards. There are different types of games, but in the most common form, a hand of poker is five cards.

The game can be played with anywhere from a few players to a few hundred players. Depending on the rules of the game, each player is required to put a certain number of chips into the pot. The chips are either green or red. The chips can be used to make forced bets or to make a hand.

The game starts by the dealer shuffles a deck of cards. He deals each player one card at a time. The dealer’s cards are usually face up. Some players may choose to keep their cards hidden.

In this round, the player to the left of the big blind is the first to act. The player to the left of the big blind may raise or check. After the initial round of betting, the dealer shuffles the deck and cuts it into a small pile.

The ante is the minimum bet. It is calculated by the rules of the game and based on the stakes of the game. A minimum ante is usually around $100. The ante is also the minimum bet in some games.