Poker is a card game in which players compete against one another for an amount of money (or chips that represent currency) contributed by each player to the pot. Individuals play for the pot by betting on the outcome of their hand, taking into account both their own cards and their predictions of what their opponents are holding.
During official games, the house handles the shuffling and dealing of cards for each hand. Typically, a token called the dealer button is rotated clockwise among the players to mark a nominal dealer who deals the cards for each hand. Players then bet in a series of rounds. Bets may be raised, but there are limits on the maximum raise per round.
After the flop, turn, and river have been dealt, the last betting round takes place. At the end of this round, the remaining players reveal their hands and the best hand wins the pot. During the course of the betting, any player who folds his or her hand loses interest in the pot and is no longer eligible to win it.
In no-limit games, the player must declare the amount of his or her bet by verbally stating “I bet $X” or put in the chips for that amount in a single motion (otherwise it is a string bet). A player can only have one stack of chips on the table at a time. A player who is not playing in the current tournament can remove his or her non-tournament chips from the table to avoid a possible penalty.