Poker is a card game in which players place bets on the likelihood of having a high-ranking hand of cards. The player with the highest-ranking hand wins a pot of money, or chips (representing money) that has been bet during a hand. Players may also bluff, betting that they have a higher-ranking hand than they actually do in order to win the pot.

Before play begins, each player must purchase a set number of poker chips. These chips are typically colored white, with each color representing a different value. The smallest chip is worth one white, the next highest value is five whites and so on.

After the players each receive two hole cards, there is a round of betting. This round of betting is initiated by the players to the left of the dealer, who place mandatory bets called blinds into the pot. Blinds are a key component to the game and serve as an incentive for players to participate in each hand.

A poker hand is comprised of five cards, and the values of a hand are in direct proportion to their mathematical frequency. The more rare the combination, the higher the hand. Players may bet on their hands, or a particular card, and other players can choose to call the bet or fold.

A tournament is a competition involving a large number of participants, who are divided into small groups or pairs and compete in matches against each other. The winner of each match advances to the next round and the tournament is concluded with a final match between the best competitors.