Poker is a family of card games that is played around the world. Each version of the game has different rules and a different deck configuration, but all have one or more rounds of betting and the goal of winning the most money from other players.

The simplest form of poker involves a single hand and a round of betting. This is the earliest variant of the game, and it is believed to be the predecessor of blackjack and rummy.

Betting is the key to success in poker, as it enables you to minimize losses with bad hands and maximize winnings with good ones. However, unless you know the correct strategy for each individual situation, you can lose too much money quickly and end up losing the game.

In each deal, one or more players are required to place an initial contribution called an ante, which may be greater than the antes of others. The ante is not the only way to place a bet in poker; each player in turn may also make a call or raise during a particular betting interval according to the rules of the specific game being played.

If the first bettor in any betting interval reaches his bet limit, that player is said to be in the pot and is allowed to increase his bet. He may do so as many times as he likes, and the betting interval ends when he is out of the pot.