Players make forced bets to begin the game, either an ante or blind bet. The dealer then shuffles or cuts the deck of cards and deals one card at a time to each player. The cards are dealt face-up or face-down, depending on the game variant. During the game, hands develop between rounds. Players who hold the best five-card combination win the pot. When the dealer loses, a player may bluff and win the game.
During each betting interval, a player may call a higher bet or raise his or her bet amount. After the betting intervals, the players compete for the pot in a showdown, with the highest-ranking player being declared the winner. The game of Poker can also include side pots. During a side pot, all bets made by a player prior to him or her are placed into it. The player who made the bet first is considered an active player.
The game of poker is a global game, being played in virtually every nation. Its origins are unclear, but it is likely derived from Germanpochen and Frenchpochen. Persian sailors may have introduced the game to French settlers in New Orleans. The game also shares ancestry with French brelan and primero. In addition, the game of brag clearly descends from brelan and incorporates the use of bluffing.