Official poker is a game of chance and skill. While luck plays a major role in any hand, those players who approach the game with sound strategy will ultimately be the ones to win.
A standard 52-card pack is used in the game, with a joker being included. The joker counts as a wild card in certain hands, such as filling a straight or a flush. A player may make a bet that they hold a superior hand by raising (or re-raising) the amount of another player’s bet, or they may fold. It is important to always play your best hand, and not bluff when you don’t have one.
The game is played in a series of betting rounds that begin with the first player to act to their left. Each round involves betting between the player and the dealer. The flop is dealt face up, and each player can then choose to check, call the bet of another player, raise (or re-raise), or fold.
In addition to a good attitude, players are expected to be courteous and respectful of others at the table. This includes avoiding excessive talk, using the table for food or drinks, ring tones, music, or video at the table, and other behavior that may disrupt or detract from the enjoyment of other players. Infractions of these etiquette rules are subject to enforcement actions described in Rule 71.