There are a number of variations of poker. The betting period for a particular variant is set at particular intervals. The first player is called the ante and has the privilege of placing the first bet. Each player must place a certain number of chips into the pot that equals the total contribution of the previous player. A player who places his chips in the pot is said to be an active participant. However, there are several other variants of poker which follow the same betting intervals.
The game is usually played with chips. There are three main types of poker chips. A white chip is the lowest value and should be used for all players. A red chip is worth five whites, while a blue chip is worth two, four, or five reds. The players “buy in” to the game by purchasing a chip. The price of a chip is usually the same for all players. A single chip is used by each player during the game.
In addition to being played with a standard deck of cards, many poker games use various betting structures. These structures determine the rules of raising and betting. Most games use a standard 52-card deck, though countries with short packs may play with shorter packs. Different betting structures also affect the number of cards in play, the amount of cards a player can share, and the number of players in a hand. Regardless of the type of betting structure, all poker games include one or more rounds of betting.