Poker is a card game played between 2 or more players. Each player has two cards (called his or her “hand”) and five community cards, and aims to make the best 5-card hand using both of his or her own cards and the community cards. Each player bets by putting chips into the pot. A player may call the bet, raise it, or drop it (in which case he or she forfeits any chips already in the pot).

The rules of poker vary somewhat from one form to another, but there are some basic principles that are common to all. Players typically play with poker chips, which have various denominations. A white chip, for example, is worth the minimum ante or bet; a red chip is worth five whites; and a blue chip is usually worth 10, 20 or 25 whites. A supply of these chips is provided for each player at the start of the game.

The main story element in a game of poker is the by-play between the players, and the tension caused by their actions and reactions to each other’s decisions. The players’ personalities are also important, and a good writer will find interesting ways to describe them, such as describing their facial expressions or body language. A good poker writer will also be able to use tells, the unconscious habits of a poker player that reveal information about their hand. These can be as simple as a change in posture or as complex as a gesture.