Texas Hold’em is the most popular form of poker. Before the cards are dealt, players put money on the table, known as blinds. Blinds are usually in the form of chips, called “small” and “big,” and rotate from player to player each time a new hand is dealt. Once a player has placed an ante, the dealer will deal each player two cards. Players can then decide whether to bet, fold, check, or raise.

The player in the first-to-act position sits immediately to the left of the big blind and button. He or she may then raise the bets made by the other players. This practice is known as “sandbagging,” and is permitted unless prohibited by the rules. Once the game begins, the player in the first-to-act position is considered the dealer. If a player in this position decides to fold, they forfeit their money bet in that round.

After the final betting round, the players’ hands are revealed to each other. If the hand is the best, the winner takes the pot. This process can take several rounds. If the players aren’t all-in at once, the pot may become small enough that all players can no longer compete for it. If there are no callers in the last round of betting, the game may end before one player has won all of the money that they put down as buy-in.

When playing poker, players must lay a foundation first. Before playing the game, players must purchase chips. The chips are called “chips” and are worth different amounts of money. If the total of players in a game is seven or more, the dealer must supply the chips. The lowest-value chip is the white chip. A red chip is worth five whites, and a blue chip is worth two, four, or five reds.