Generally speaking, poker is a game in which players must bet or fold. Poker games are also played in tournaments, in which the goal is to be at the top of the chip leader-board. Players have various betting options and can use them to bluff opponents and win.

In most forms of poker, one player must make the first bet. This is known as the ante. A common ante is the ‘big blind’ ante, which is twice as large as the small blind. It is common in tournaments and is used to boost the size of the pot pre-flop.

If a player makes the first bet, that player is considered an active player. Other players can then call the bet, fold, or raise. The pot is then awarded to the player with the best hand.

All poker variants have at least one round of betting. The first round of betting starts with the player left of the button. The player to the left of the button must post a small blind, which is the equivalent of a dollar. The next player in the line of players must post the big blind, which is twice the size of the small blind.

Once the first round of betting has finished, the player to the left of the button is the first dealer. He must place his big blind in the pot.

The dealer’s last right is to shuffle the cards. The cards are face up in rotation to the left.