Poker is a card game that has been played for hundreds of years. In most variations, players must raise or match bets made by other players. Its popularity is highest in North America, where it is played in casinos, private homes, and online. The game has been called the “national card game” of the United States. It has become an integral part of American culture.

There are several basic rules of the game. The first rule is that a player must open the pot if he has a Jacks-or-Better. Any other cards may be hidden. The player who opens the pot is considered an “active player” when he or she places chips into the pot.

The second rule is that a player must have the right proportion of bluff hands and value hands. This principle is called balancing the poker range, and it is often discussed along with GTO and indifference points. One example of balancing a range is to go all-in with pocket Jacks, and then call with any pocket pair above them. In addition, a player must be aware of the factors that influence their ranges.

In a pot-limit game, players are limited to a certain number of chips in the pot. This limits the amount of chips that a player may bet or raise. During a pot-limit game, players may raise a maximum of fourteen chips, or bet a minimum of four chips.