Poker is a card game in which players wager chips (representing money) by placing them into a central pot. The player with the highest-ranked hand wins the pot. In addition to making bets, players may also bluff by pretending to have a high hand. If other players call the bluff, the bluffer wins. This element of chance makes poker a game that requires skill, particularly reading opponents.
The dealer shuffles the cards, then deals each player one or more cards, face up or down, depending on the variant of poker being played. After a player places their forced bet, called an ante or blind bet, they can then either call the bet placed by the player to their left or raise it. If a player chooses to fold, they discard their cards and leave the table. This leaves the best remaining hand to take the pot.
Writing about Poker requires knowledge of probability, game theory and psychology. It is also important to be able to identify different players and their betting patterns. For example, conservative players are easily bluffed and tend to fold early in a hand. Aggressive players, on the other hand, will bet higher early in a hand and can often be read by other players. It is also necessary to be able to describe the by-play between players, such as who flinched or smiled. This helps to make the story more interesting for readers. It is also useful to know how to write descriptively, as this will help readers imagine the scene in their heads.