Poker is one of the most popular card games in the world. It is played in casinos and cardrooms, as well as at home game tables. It is possible to play poker in almost every country where cards are legal and gambling is permitted.

The rules of official poker vary widely, but most are based on the English game of brag, which was brought to America in the late colonial period by British emigrants and by American travelers returning from transatlantic voyages. It was then adapted to a variety of local conditions. A number of different variants of poker have emerged, including draw and bluffing games.

In Texas hold’em, each player receives two cards. These are called hole cards and cannot be seen by other players. In addition, the dealer places five face-up community cards on the table. These are called the flop, turn, and river. Each player may use any of these cards or their own hole cards to build a winning poker hand.

Chip values are assigned to poker chips to provide consistency and ease of use for all players. The most common value is white, followed by red, blue, and green. Larger home games often use a larger set of poker chips with more colors, such as black and yellow. This helps security systems better monitor the action at the table by distinguishing poker chip stack sizes and values.

Any player, dealer, or floorperson who sees an incorrect amount of money put into a pot or an error about to be made in awarding a pot has an ethical obligation to point out the problem. This is important to avoid mistakes that could result in cheating or unfair play.