Official poker is a card game played with a standard pack of 52 cards, and a number of different rules and betting structures apply to the game. Some forms of poker are more popular than others, but all share a common set of underlying rules.

The highest-ranked hand wins a pot in any form of poker. The game is a game of chance, but skill and psychology play an important role as well. Players must be able to read their opponents and determine whether they are bluffing or holding a strong hand.

In some games, a player may ’kill’ a hand by calling a bet when they have a superior one. This triggers a rule that requires the player to post either a kill blind or double the size of the big blind, depending on the specific game.

Some poker games use a special fund, or kitty, that players contribute to with each raise. Any chips left in the kitty at the end of the game are split equally among the players. Some kitty funds are used to purchase new decks of cards, while others cover the cost of food and drinks. In some poker games, players can also buy additional chips at the table during a hand, but this is generally only permitted in home and private games. Some casinos prohibit this practice, as it slows the pace of gameplay.