Poker is a fun card game that has been around for centuries. While it’s not a true game of skill, it does have some apocryphal origins. The earliest version of the game in European history probably is called poque. From the French word poque, the English word poker comes. This game later evolved into the German pochen and a new version of the primero. It was originally played in France, and French settlers brought poker to North America.

Players in poker must first contribute to the pot. In some variations, players may be required to put in an ante, or blind bet. Then, they are dealt cards. The first player to bet is said to bet. A second player may call the previous bet, or raise the previous bettor’s bet. A third player, known as a checker, stays in without betting, but must make sure no one else has bet yet. The betting interval ends when the last player raises or all players check.

In a traditional game of poker, the dealer is known as the “house dealer”. The player who is designated as the “dealer” is known as the buck. It is important to remember that betting is conducted clockwise around the table, and the dealer’s button represents the nominal dealer. Once the cards are dealt, players can then make their decisions. If a player wants to fold, the player can check, which means that he’s passing the action to the next player.