Having an understanding of the official poker rules can help you play a better game and avoid some common blunders. These rules are generally used by casinos. However, they can also be used to dictate player behavior directly.

The first round of betting in a poker game is the pre-flop round. In this round, each player is dealt four hole cards. The player with the highest hand wins the pot. After the flop, there is another round of betting. This round is based on the poker hands made with two player cards and five community cards.

Another round of betting is called the river. After this round of betting, the players turn over their cards and the best hand wins the pot.

When a player is all in, the pot may be divided between the players. However, the player can still raise the amount of the bet. This is known as a check-raise. If the player does not raise, the player will be assumed to fold.

The player can also raise when the opponent raises. In this case, the player must match the amount of the raise. If the player does not raise, the opponent has the right to act.

Another form of cheating is angle shooting. This type of cheating is when a player pretends to muck a card. Another form of cheating is when a player misrepresents his or her stack.

An example of an opener is a pair of kings. In a game where each player is dealt his or her own hand, a pair of kings is considered an opener.