Poker is a card game of skill and strategy (and mostly chance) in which players wager money or chips on the outcome of the cards randomly distributed to them. A player can win a hand by getting a five-card high-ranking hand, or by betting and intimidating opponents into folding before the “showdown.” The player with the best hand wins the pot of money put down as buy-ins for the game.

Poker games typically involve multiple rounds of betting, with the player whose bet is highest collecting the pot of money. The bettor may raise their bet after each round, or they may call another player’s bet. A player can also bluff by raising the size of their bet or even showing their cards if they believe it will increase the likelihood that other players will fold.

In a typical poker game, players start with two cards face-down. The dealer shuffles, and then deals each player one card at a time beginning with the player on their left. The cards are dealt either face-up or face-down, depending on the variant of poker being played. Then, betting starts.

The best way to describe the action is by using the classic elements of plot conflict – the opening scene will show players feeling each other out, maybe some bluffing, and then rising action as players make big bets to try and intimidate their opponents into folding before “showdown.” You can also include descriptions of a player’s tells, which are unconscious habits or body language that reveal information about their hand.