Poker is a card game with many variants. It gained popularity in the early 21st century, partly due to the invention of the hole-card camera which made the game more spectator friendly and brought in large television audiences.

Poker has been characterized as a psychological game of high stakes, bluffing, and social manipulation. The game is played with a deck of 52 cards, including two personal cards in each player’s hand and five community cards on the table. The goal of the game is to win a hand consisting of a combination of rank and suit.

Depending on the poker variant being played, one player or more must place an initial amount of money into the pot before the cards are dealt. These are called forced bets and come in the form of antes, blinds or bring-ins.

Each player must then decide whether to bet and raise the ante, or check and wait for other players to act. If a player checks, he must reveal his cards to the other players and fold if he does not have a good hand.

The most interesting part of a game of poker is the people, their reactions and the by-play between them. Describing a series of card draws, bets and reveals can feel lame or gimmicky, so focus most of your description on the players. Show how the players interact with each other, who flinched and who smiled, etc. This will make your story seem more realistic.