Poker is a game in which individuals compete for an amount of money or chips contributed by the players themselves, called the pot. Players place their bets based on the strength of their hand and their prediction of the actions of their opponents.
A standard 52-card pack, with or without jokers, is used for the game. In order to speed up the deal, two packs are usually dealt from, and while the cards are being dealt from one pack, the other is shuffled and prepared for the next deal. One player acts as the dealer, and the players to his left and right must make forced bets of a pre-determined amount before they receive their two cards (if no ante is in place). These two cards are known as hole cards.
Tournaments of poker are common in casinos and other card rooms worldwide. Typically, each entrant “buys in” for a fixed number of chips and plays until either one player accumulates all the chips or the tournament ends, and the prize pool is divided amongst the remaining players according to their finishing position.
The game of poker has many different rules, but a few of the most important are described below. It is also advisable to read the official poker rules in the poker chapter of the Administrative Rules and to use the standard recordkeeping forms (Record of Win, Ideal Cash Bank Master Record, Reconciliation of Ideal Cash Banks, and Prize Register) for any poker events conducted.