Poker is the name given to a number of card games where players wager on the strength of the cards they hold. Poker involves a communal "pot" consisting of the players' wagers which is awarded to the player who either holds the highest ranking hand or makes a wager which goes unmatched by his or her opponents.
All poker games begin with some forced wager over which players compete. In Seven Card Stud, there are two forced wagers, an ante and a bring-in. In Texas Hold'em and Omaha, the forced wagers are a small blind and a big blind. In any poker game, players strategically wager using a number of actions available to them. The actions are as follows:
- CHECK - If there is no wager on the current betting round, a player may check. The act of checking passes the action to the next player immediately clockwise from him or her. A check does not forfeit interest in the pot, only the current right to bet. If all players check during a round of betting, the round is considered complete.
- BET - If there is no wager on the current betting round, a player may bet. If a player bets, the player immediately clockwise from him or her (and any subsequent players) may fold, raise, or call.
- FOLD - The act of folding forfeits all interest in the pot. A player who folds is not required or allowed to wager any further money for the current game.
- CALL - If there has been a wager on the current betting round, a player may call. The act of calling requires the player to match the current bet made by his or her opponent(s).
- RAISE - If there has been a wager on the current betting round, a player may raise. The act of raising requires the player to match the current bet, and make a greater one. All subsequent players are required to call the raise or raise again ("re-raise") to maintain interest in the pot.
On each betting round, betting continues until the person immediately counter clockwise the last bettor or raiser acts. When this person acts, the next round begins, or the hand is complete.
When the last bet or raise on the final betting round is called, the "showdown" occurs. This is when it is determined who wins the pot, as players show their hands one-by-one. It may be the case that there is no showdown. This occurs when a player bets or raises, and no active players choose to call the player's bet (in other words, all players fold). In this case, the player doing the betting or raising wins the full amount of the pot.
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