Poker is a popular card game that can be played with two or more players. Its name derives from the game of “poker,” which was first played on Mississippi riverboats. Jonathan H. Green is said to have attached the name “poker” to the game after observing it. He outlined the game as a game of two to four players with twenty cards, only one of which was an Ace. This game has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon, and has been the source of many variations.

The game of poker is played with poker chips, which are usually provided for the players in a game of seven or more. Each player receives a different number of chips, with the lowest-value chip being a white one. Other chips are red and blue. Each player buys in by purchasing chips of the same value, usually a small sum. A player usually buys in for an equal amount of chips before the game begins. Some variations are silly, such as “strip poker,” which is meant to be played on kid-free nights.

Different variants of poker have different betting rules. For example, some games require players to place blind bets before being dealt cards. These blind bets may replace the ante or be added on top of it. Blind bets are required before every round of the game. Players take turns making blind bets. The player who calls the blind bet must make a call before checking. The winner of a hand is determined by the rank of the next card in the hand.