Poker is a card game played in casinos, poker rooms, and home games. The rules vary greatly, but the core is betting in rounds and a hierarchy of hands that allows for some degree of skill and psychology.
A basic form of poker is five card draw, a game that deals each player a complete hand and allows them to trade cards in exchange for new ones during the betting round. The player with the best five-card combination wins. This simple variant is also the basis for many video poker games.
Casinos and other establishments require players to exchange real money for poker chips, which are differentiated by color to represent different denominations. This system allows security systems to keep tabs on the amount of money a player has, and it prevents cash game players from sneaking tournament-only chip values into their starting stacks.
The rules of official poker are designed to govern the conduct of the game in the venue and protect the players. The rules are based on the International Poker Federation (IPF) rules, which are amended by each local gaming control board. The rules are generally enforceable by house, state, and country laws.
The word “poker” is derived from the French phrase “Je poque d’un jeton,” meaning I bet one unit. It is likely that the original poker game arose from a simpler game with fewer betting rounds, such as three-card brag, which was popular in American maritime gambling saloons at the time of the American Revolution.