Poker is a card game in which players make bets based on the strength of their hand. There are many different forms of the game, but the goal is to win the pot, or the sum total of all bets made during a deal. A player may win the pot by having a strong hand, or by making a bet that no other player calls. The game was first developed in Germany as a bluffing game, and it eventually evolved into the form that is played today.

A dealer is responsible for shuffling the cards and dealing them to each player. He may be a non-player, and sometimes a single player is designated as the dealer for an entire round of play. A button is used to indicate who has the dealer role for each round, and it moves one spot clockwise after each hand.

After each player receives two hole cards, there is a round of betting. This is initiated by the player to his immediate left, who must place a small bet into the pot. These mandatory bets, called blinds, help create an incentive to play the game and keep the money moving around the table.

When the fourth and fifth cards are dealt, a final round of betting occurs. The player with the best five-card poker hand wins all of the money in the pot. If no one has a strong poker hand, then a showdown happens where all remaining cards are revealed.

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