In all versions of the game, players place chips into the pot only if they think they have a high hand or want to bluff other players. Since the outcome of poker games is heavily influenced by chance, a player’s choice of actions is based on psychology, probability, and game theory. The first person to make a bet is called the dealer. All other players may cut, but the dealer must offer his or her pack to an opponent.

Many variations of poker are played using different cards. A typical game awards the pot to the player who has the best hand, which is composed of the lowest cards. Some variations don’t count straights or flushes, so they aren’t considered the best hand. In these cases, the pot is split between the two lowest hands. There are several differences between the rules of poker. Some games require players to buy in with a certain amount of chips, but most do not.

A player can also build a kitty in a poker game. The kitty is created by cutting a low-denomination chip out of any pot with more than one raise. The kitty belongs to every player equally, and is used to buy new decks of cards or food. The kitty chips are divided among players who are still playing Poker, while those who have left the game before the end of the game do not get their share of the kitty.