Poker is a card game that involves both skill and luck, often played for cash or in tournaments. It is typically played with a standard 52-card deck, though some games use multiple cards or add wild cards. The cards are ranked from high (Ace) to low (Jack). Some poker variants have wild cards that can take on any suit and rank, while others specify which ones are wild (Dueces or one-eyed jacks, for example).
Players begin each round with mandatory bets called blinds (amount varies by game; ours is a nickel per player), then are dealt 2 cards face down. This is called the flop. A round of betting then takes place, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. After this, another card is dealt (the turn), and a final bet is made before a 5th card is revealed (the river). Players attempt to make the best possible hand of five cards from their own two personal cards and the community cards. The highest hand wins the pot, which contains all the bets placed to date.
Whether you are writing about the history of the game, its strategy, or the tricks of the trade, your article should be both informative and entertaining for your readers. Personal anecdotes and techniques used in play are a good way to draw your audience into the story. Also, you should be sure to include information on tells — the unconscious habits a player displays during gameplay that reveal information about their hand.