Poker is a card game, based on betting and hand ranking. It is played using a deck of 54 cards, the goal is to come up with the best combination of cards with the hand given by the dealer. Though luck is present (the combination of cards given is random), poker is a higly strategy-based game in which probabilty assement is very important.

A wide array a variation of the game exist, but the best know is the Texas Hold'em, widely played in casinos all over the world. The minimum number of players required is 2 (Head's Up), up to a limit of 10 (Full Ring).

Poker is usually associated with gambling and casinos, but its popularity has drastically increased over the last years through on-line casinos/on-line poker. You do not need to enter a real casino to be able to play with millions of people worldwide, you can do so from home and for free (provided you play with virtually chips).

Poker is now popular among a large variety of people from different social categories, playing home to sit back after their work. Poker is a very addictive game, so much so that some people are willing to play is all night long often in an attempt to win back the money that was lost.

The two major worldwide competitions are the WSOP (The World Series of Poker) which started in 1970 with 7 entrants (against 6,844 in 2008) and latest winner is danish player Peter Eastgate (youngest player ever to win this tournament) and The WPT (World Poker Tour) both played in Texas Hold'em.