Generally speaking, poker is a game of chance. However, it also requires a certain amount of psychology and skill to minimize losses with poor hands and maximize wins with good ones. Regardless of its nature, a game of poker must be conducted in a courteous manner to prevent any discomfort for other players.
Unless otherwise stated, all players must contribute an initial sum, called the ante, to the pot before they can bet on their hands. The amount of the ante may vary according to the rules of the particular game being played.
Once the antes are in place, betting is done in turn around the table in clockwise order. Each player must decide whether to call, raise, or fold. In addition, players must be aware of what other players are doing, which can help them make their decisions.
In some cases, the dealer will not allow a player to raise more than one time during a round of betting. This can happen if other players have already raised once during the same round. Abuse of this privilege can result in denial of a hand.
A single deck of cards is used for most poker games. However, some games use a stripped deck, which removes all of the deuces and threes from the pack.
Many poker games have a special fund that players contribute to, which is known as the kitty. This money is typically used to pay for new decks of cards and food and drinks for players. When the game ends, any remaining chips in the kitty are distributed equally among players who remain in the game.