Probably the earliest form of poker was the French game poque. It evolved alongside the German game primero and was introduced in the New World by French settlers. Its popularity has risen in recent years, and broadcasts of poker tournaments have enthralled huge audiences on cable and satellite distributors.

To start a poker game, the players must agree to a set of stakes. This amount is known as the ante. The ante varies from game to game.

The ante is generally the minimum bet for a player. This amount is usually the same as the second blind. The second blind is the amount that the player to the left of the dealer must bet. The value of this bet is usually double that of the first blind.

Players place bets toward the pot until a round ends. The last player to make a bet is said to call. If no one calls, the pot is won. If one or more players call, the pot is divided among the players.

A poker hand is made up of five cards. The best natural hand is a straight flush. A straight flush starts with the highest value card. A high straight flush is called the Royal Flush. It starts with an ace high, and the rest of the cards can be low or high.

The goal of poker is to get chips from other players. Players may win by betting with the highest hand, or by bluffing. Players use their cards to bluff by trying to trick the other players into thinking that they have the best hand.