A game of poker involves betting and bluffing to make the best hand possible, which requires considerable skill. It can be played socially for pennies or matchsticks, or professionally for thousands of dollars. It is one of the world’s most popular games, and it has many variations.

This set of rules is called Official Poker because it has been approved by a number of poker rooms as the most complete and accurate available. It is a compilation of the most important poker rules, and it includes several new or improved ideas for wording and organization. It is authored by Robert Ciaffone (known in the poker world as Bob), who is widely recognized as a leader in the field of cardroom rules.

In some games of poker, players may agree to contribute an ante into the pot before the cards are dealt. This money is usually put into a special fund called a kitty. The kitty is used to pay for things like new decks of cards and food. The players who are still in the game share equally any chips that remain in the kitty when the poker game ends.

The rules of poker require that all players protect their cards from being seen by others, either by holding their hands over them or placing a chip or other object on top of them. Those who do not protect their cards are at risk of being accused of cheating. Likewise, it is not acceptable to discuss your hand with other players or to use a cell phone while playing at the table.