Poker is a card game that combines strategy, bluffing, and luck to win money. It has a variety of rules that differ between games. For example, a player may be forced to ante double the big blind in some games. In other situations, a player can only antes in chips that are equal to the big blind.

Chips

Poker chips are a common means of currency in poker. Players use them in cash games, tournaments, and home games. They also represent dollar amounts during play and provide a way for players to share an understanding of these values.

Colors of Pokerchips

The standard set of poker chips is usually white, red, or blue. Larger home games often have sets with more colors, such as black or yellow.

Tournament Pokerchips

A poker tournament usually requires high poker chip values. Stacks of tournament chips don’t match real-life dollars, but the numbers are necessary for tracking stack sizes and chip distribution.

Tournaments typically report chip counts by prefacing the number with T$, which stands for “Tournament.” Typically, T$ represents the amount of chips each player receives in the tournament.

Unwritten Poker Rules and Etiquette

Some unwritten rules of poker are important for all players to know. These include the rule about angle shooting, which involves a player making an intentional, unethical move to take advantage of less experienced players or a situation at the table.

Another unwritten poker rule is that no one can raise the ante until all players have antes. This can be frustrating for players who want to raise before they are required to ante, but it’s an important rule to follow.