Poker is a card game in which players compete for an amount of money or chips contributed by all the players to the pot. The rules of poker vary by variant, but in general all games involve betting rounds and the highest five-card hand wins. The game is played with a standard pack of 52 cards, or in some cases more (including jokers) and players combine their own two cards with the community cards to form a winning hand.
Typically, one player acts as dealer and a button is moved clockwise after each hand to indicate the new dealer. The person to the left of the button posts the small blind, and the person to their immediate right posts the big blind, both of which are forced bets that help encourage players to make a decision when they are dealt in.
The popularity of poker began to increase dramatically at the turn of the millennium, largely due to increased television exposure and televised events. Texas hold ‘em quickly became the most popular variant, and it remains a favorite to this day.
There is no formal definition of what makes a poker game official, but the onus is always on the players to speak up if they see a clear violation of the rules. Dealers are under intense pressure to deal as many hands without making mistakes, and they cannot be expected to watch over every little thing that happens at the table.