As a game that can be played in a wide variety of ways, poker has no one definitive set of rules. However, the most common form of the game is based on a five-card hand that is used for both betting and judging a winning hand. Other games that use poker hand rankings may also be called poker. Examples include video poker, which is a single-player machine that pays out a prize based on the outcome of a hand. Strip poker is a variation of traditional poker that involves the players removing clothing when they lose bets.

The structure of the game is usually established by a token called the button, which rotates around the table to indicate a nominal dealer. The player with the button acts first in each round of betting.

Other rules, which are not part of the game’s main body, are often used to help control the game. These may include the rules of the game, such as the amount of chips that can be raised during a betting round. They may also cover etiquette, such as the appropriate way to protect cards or other objects in a player’s hand by covering them with other chips or by placing another object on top of them.

Players should be aware of these rules and follow them in order to prevent cheating or causing problems at the tables. Anyone who notices an error in the awarding of a pot or a mistake that is about to be made has an ethical obligation to point it out.