Official poker is played by players who have agreed to abide by the official rules of the game. These rules, in addition to common sense, are designed to protect players from misunderstandings and ensure that the game is fair and impartial. The game has a wide variety of different forms, but most have the same basic underlying structure. It is a card game where the goal is to make the best five-card poker hand possible using a combination of your own cards and the community cards that are dealt.

While bluffing isn’t against the official poker rules, it is considered poor gamesmanship. It can give away information to your opponents, which can hurt you in the long run. It is important to understand the rules and play your cards correctly so that you can win the most money.

One player acts as dealer, and the two players to his or her left act as the small blind and big blind. These players must place forced bets before the cards are dealt (if there is no ante). Players then receive two cards face down, called their hole cards.

Players must not reveal their hole cards to other players. This is considered cheating and can get you banned from the game, so it’s important to know the rules. It is also important to act in turn and not talk during the hand. This can distract other players and create a bad atmosphere at the table.