Poker is a card game in which players combine their own cards with the community cards to make a poker hand. The best poker hands win the pot. The rules vary slightly between different types of poker games. Some poker variations include two hole cards, one hole card, and no hole cards (play the board). Poker can be played socially for pennies or matchsticks, or professionally for thousands of dollars.
Poker dealers are responsible for ensuring that the game is run according to house standards. They must shuffle and deal cards correctly, keep the decks stocked, and be available to answer questions. Exceptions to these general rules may be approved by the TD, and are often used to prevent unfair advantage or abuse of the game.
Players must play the game with full awareness of the rules, including any special instructions for dealing. Unless the dealer indicates otherwise, the player must not expose cards that have been dealt or face down during play and must not reveal a hidden card by gesture. A player who accidentally reveals a hidden card must immediately declare it a dead card.
Players and floor people are entitled to a reasonable estimation of chip counts, so chips should be kept in clean, visible stacks. TDs may color up a player or group of players at their discretion. The kitty is a fund that is established by the players, and used to pay for new decks of cards, food, drinks, etc. Any chips left in the kitty at the end of the game are distributed equally among players who are still in the hand.