Poker is a game that is played with cards and chips. The object of the game is to have the best hand at the end of the betting round. There are hundreds of variations of the game, but most of them share basic principles and rules.

A typical game of poker begins when each player, as designated by the rules of the specific variant being played, puts into the pot the number of chips (representing money) required for him to make his total contribution to the pot at least equal to that of the player before him. In each betting interval, a player may “call,” putting in the same number of chips as the player to his left; or “raise,” putting in more than enough chips to call; or “fold,” putting no chips into the pot and dropping out of the betting round.

Players who have not put in the required amount of chips in a given betting interval must say “check.” This can be done by tapping the table with the fist, knuckles or index finger(s), or by holding an open hand. Once a player says check, the betting round is over and no more chips are placed in the pot; however, they do not lose any of the previous bets they have made.

A player who is not in a pot must also drop out of any side pots created during the betting. These side pots, often called the “kitty,” are usually established by a unanimous or majority agreement among all the players. Any chips left in the kitty at the end of the game are divided equally among all the players still in the game.