Poker

Poker is a class of Human card games that revolves around individual players betting on the value of their cards and that of their opponents. There are many different games of poker, yet they generally use the same 52-card deck of playing cards and the same hand rankings. Players usually get to bet, raise, check, call, and fold among other actions...some specific to a certain game. Bluffing is a major part of the game as is the ability to read your opponents. As such, poker involves elements of psychology, mathematics, probability, and theory as well as good, ole-fashion luck. Some varieties of poker include:

• Straight poker: the oldest form of the game, using three or five cards but typically having betting done in a single round. Three-card brag was the most played from this form.
• Draw poker: variations allow for the player to improve his/her hand by discarding useless cards and drawing new ones in hopes of getting better one. Five-card draw is the most popular form.
• Stud poker: This allows for additional rounds of betting by dealing prearranged face-up or face-down combinations. Cards are normally dealt one at a time with a betting round following. Seven-card stud is the most popular and has countless variations.
• Flop poker: This sub-group involves the sharing of community cards that are placed in betting rounds. Each player tries to make the best hand possible from the cards dealt them and the cards shared by everyone. Texas Hold'em is the best example of this and was immensely popular at the dawn of the 21st Century on Earth. Omaha was another.

Poker was a favorite game of the senior staff of the USS Enterprise-D and -E.