Poker has been played for centuries and is a game of skill and chance. It was probably invented in Persia but is thought to have been refined in Europe around the seventeenth century. The English word poker is derived from the French game poque. The game was later developed by Germans and Spanish settlers, and eventually spread to the New World.
There are two main forms of Poker: draw and stud. In draw, all cards are dealt face-down while in stud, some cards are revealed as betting progresses. In either variant, the highest hand wins the pot. In all forms of Poker, there are up to 8 players. Each player receives seven cards.
A player with five cards of the same suit is considered to have a high-quality hand. A player may choose to fold if he does not have a hand of five of a kind or two pair. If he has neither of these, he is considered to have a weak hand. However, a player with four, three, or two of a kind is often a strong hand.
In some poker variations, players may be required to make blind bets, which can replace or add to the ante. These bets are made before the cards are dealt to each player. Players take turns making blind bets, and if they are correct, the blind bet will be called.