Poker is a card game played between two or more players and often involves betting on the outcome of the hand. There are many variations of poker, but they all share a few common features. One of these is the use of chips to represent money that is bet in the pot. The chips are usually white, but can be different colors. Each color represents a specific amount of money; for example, a white chip is worth the minimum ante or bet, and a blue chip is worth five whites.
When a player places an ante (the amount varies by variant) and is dealt cards, the round of betting begins. A player may choose to fold his or her hand, call a bet (put more money into the pot), or raise a bet. Some poker games also require that each player contribute a sum of money to the pot, known as a blind bet.
In addition to betting on the strength of their hands, poker players can win by bluffing and causing other players to believe that they have the best hand. Players can also win by forming a high-ranking combination of cards, such as a royal flush or five of a kind. If more than one player has a high-ranking hand, the highest ranking card wins the pot. If no one has a high-ranking hand, then the lowest ranking card wins the pot. There are also rules for determining how the pot is distributed after the end of the game.