Poker is a game of chance. It is played with cards and stakes are doubled each time a player raises. However, the house rules usually allow this only after a certain number of raises. It is not uncommon for the stakes to reach enormous sizes after three or four raises, which can cause players to fold due to a lack of funds.

It is believed that poker originated in Persia. However, the earliest game of poker that was played in Europe was probably the 17th-century French game poque, from which the English word poker derives. This game evolved from the Spanish primero and German pochen, and it eventually found its way to the New World thanks to French settlers.

Poker is played with a number of players at a round table. Each player receives one card from a shuffled deck. The person with the highest card becomes the initial dealer, and the game proceeds clockwise. In case of a tie, the player clockwise from the initial dealer is cut. The next player in line also cuts the deck, and the process is repeated.

The best possible hand is called the “nuts” and consists of two hole cards plus a board card. A pair with three or more cards is called a straight. The highest pair wins. If no one has a pair, the high card breaks the tie. Another example is a tie when there are ties and the players have a high card of the same type.