Poker is a card game played by a group of players. The player with the best hand wins. There are several different variants of poker, each with its own rules and strategies. Poker can be a fun and social activity for all ages.

During the betting intervals, each player places chips (representing money) into the pot in order to equalize the total contribution made by all active players before him. A player may also raise his stake by adding more chips to the pot, called raising. He may not be able to make up the difference between his own total stake and that of the last player to raise; if he cannot, he must fold.

A player with a winning hand must show it, and anyone who has raised enough to call the winner’s bet must do so in order to collect his prize. Alternatively, he can withdraw his cards from the table and draw new ones in an attempt to improve his hand.

As a writer, it is your job to bring the game alive with anecdotes and interesting details. Focus on how the players are reacting to each other and try to spot tells, which are unconscious habits a player may display that reveal information about his or her hand. This will help readers connect with the game and feel like they are participating in it. The more you play and watch, the more instinctive you will become at reading other players.