Poker is a card game that is played with a number of players. The ideal number is six to eight players, but it can be played with any number. Players compete by making bets, and the highest-ranking poker hand wins the pot. The winning hand is called a “high hand,” and can be won by making a bet that no other player calls.

Poker has been played for many centuries. According to legend, it began in Persia, but its modern version is thought to have originated in the 17th century. It was then adopted from the French game poque, from which we get the word poker. Later it evolved into the German version pochen, and was eventually imported to the New World by French settlers.

The goal of poker is to create the best possible hand with the highest possible ranking. You do this by betting until you’re the only person with the highest hand. If all the players have the same hand, then the pot is divided among the players. However, if no one has a high-ranking hand, the game is a draw.

The game is played with a pot, which is usually in the center of the table. The ante is equal to one chip, while the straddle is equivalent to two chips. The first raise is four chips, and the next raise is eight chips. After the second raise, the player is obligated to make a forced bet, and must double the first forced bet.