Poker is a game that requires both skill and chance to win. While the game can have hundreds of variations, all tend to share several common features:

The game begins with 2 mandatory bets called blinds put into the pot by the players to their left. This is done to encourage people to play the game and also give a prize for the winner. Once everyone has their two hidden cards, 3 more cards are dealt face up in the center of the table (revealed to all) called the flop. There is another round of betting. At this point, only players with a good 5-card hand can win the pot.

During each betting round, players will either “call” the current bet by putting into the pot at least as many chips as the player to their left; or raise it by adding more chips to the total staked by the last raiser. If a player is unwilling to call or raise, they must drop out of the game.

Some players may set aside a special fund, or kitty, for the purchase of new decks of cards and other items. Normally, a low-denomination chip is worth 1 chip. If a player is removed from the game before it ends, they are not entitled to take their portion of the kitty that comprised part of their buy-ins. This rule helps to keep the kitty balanced, and ensures that every player has an equal opportunity to win.