The game of poker has a very simple mechanic: a number of players place bets into a pot. This amount represents the total amount bet by all players in one round. When a player wins, he/she wins the pot. This is a total that represents the amount of money the player has bet, plus any additional bets that were placed before the round. As the game progresses, players may change their bet amounts, which is why a player may lose a lot of money in one hand.
The name “poker” is derived from the French and German word pochen, although it is unclear whether poker has its roots with either of these games. Some believe the game owes its name to the Persian card game as nas, which may have been taught to French settlers in New Orleans by Persian sailors. Generally, the game shares a Renaissance origin with primero and French brelan. The English game brag, however, clearly has a similar history with poker, and is a descendant of the brelan.
The game of poker is played with chips. For larger games of poker, the game is played with chips. During a game, each player receives one set of five cards and wagers according to the hand. Players buy in by buying chips, which can range from inexpensive to expensive. In many games, the first player to buy in is known as the “dealer” or “blind.”