Poker is a card game in which players compete for an amount of money or chips contributed by each player to a central pot. The game can involve a combination of elements of chance, psychology and game theory. Players place bets based on their predictions of other players’ behavior, including whether they believe the player is bluffing or holding a strong hand. A fundamental work on mathematical game theory, the 1944 book The Theory of Games and Economic Behavior by mathematician John von Neumann and economist Oskar Morgenstern, used poker as a key example.
Players reveal their hands in a betting phase at the end of each round. The winner is the player with the strongest hand. Depending on the variant of poker, some rounds may have several betting phases. During each round, players have the option to fold, call or raise. If they choose to raise, the player must match the current stake of any player who calls, or raise it higher if possible.
The game’s name derives from the French phrase “poque” (pronounced po-kay) for a small box or container. Its cultural ancestor is the Italian game Primiera, which dates back to the 16th century. Other early four-card games include Gilet (under various spellings, French, 16th – 18th centuries), and Mus (Spanish, mainly Basque, of unknown age).
In addition to the main betting period of each round, some poker games feature an optional side pot for additional wagering. A player can participate in either or both, with the amount of additional bets being dependent on the type of poker and the size of the main pot.
Some poker tournaments are held in casinos, while others take place at hotels, private rooms or restaurants. In many cases, these events are hosted by professional gamblers, but they can also be run by private individuals or organizations. Tournaments are often organized in a series of matches with only two teams or players per match. This allows large numbers of people to compete in a tournament without taking up too much space or resources. This is common in team sports, racket and combat sports, some card and board games, and competitive debating.
The smallest poker tournaments, sometimes known as locals or weeklies, are usually organized by card shops or bars and held on a weekly basis. They are the entry point for new players to get involved with the competitive scene and hone their skills. They are generally less expensive than larger tournaments and are a good way to build experience.
Some people play poker as a form of recreation and socialization, while others see it as a way to earn a living. The latter group are the professional players, who make a living from the game by participating in tournaments and other high-profile events. The professional poker scene is dominated by men, although women are increasingly entering the field and winning major tournaments. This shift has occurred partly due to increased awareness of gender equality and changing attitudes toward female professionals in general.
