Poker is a card game in which players bet on the relative value of their hands. A hand comprises five cards. The value of a hand is in inverse proportion to its mathematical frequency, with the more unusual combinations of cards having higher values. Players can win by betting that they have a superior hand and forcing other players to call (match) their bets or concede. They can also bluff, attempting to fool other players into believing that they have a good hand when they don’t.
Several different theories exist about the origins of poker, including connections to 10th-century Chinese domino games and 16th-century Persian games. However, the most likely direct ancestor is a 17th-century French game called Poque. The game reached the United States in the early 19th century, when it was adapted from its British equivalent, Brag, to accommodate a larger number of players and use a 52-card deck. It then spread rapidly up the Mississippi and across America, popularized by riverboat crews and Civil War soldiers.
To write an article about poker, it’s important to understand how the game works and be able to identify tells. You should also be able to describe the player’s reactions to the cards that are dealt. Describing a series of card draws, bets and checks can feel lame or gimmicky, so focus most of your attention on the players’ actions and by-play. Identify who flinched or smiled, for example. This will help readers relate to the story and make it more interesting.