In poker, the goal is to win as many hands as possible. Each player must place an “ante” in the pot before the game begins. This sum of money is used to pay the other players. Upon the deal, the players are given 5 cards. A pair of kings, for example, is a fairly good hand to make, but a pair of queens is worse than nothing. Then, the betting process begins.
As with all games, the game of poker has its roots in a seedy history. In the late 1700s, card hustlers cheated unsuspecting opponents by using the slang term “poke.” The addition of the “r” was probably to confuse players who knew about the slang, but the fact remains that poker is one of the oldest games. The game is simple, but has an element of cheating.
When playing poker, players purchase chips with a single denomination, called “poker chips.” There are four different denominations of poker chips: a blue chip, a white chip, and a red chip. A white chip is the least valuable, and a red chip is worth five or more. The game starts with a player buying into the game by purchasing poker-chips. Usually, a player buys in for the same amount as the other players in the game.
In Poker, players can establish a special fund called the kitty. A player’s “kitty” is built by cutting a low-denomination chip from each pot after they raise their bets. The kitty belongs to all players equally. It is used to pay for new decks of cards and food. A player who leaves a Poker game before the game ends does not receive a share of the kitty.