text: what is the meaning of poker?   poker , the most popular of a class of games called vying games, in which players with fully or partially concealed cards make wagers into a central pot, which is awarded to the remaining player or players with the best combination of cards. poker can also refer to video poker which is a single-player game seen in casinos much like a slot machine. the poker room at the trump taj mahal, atlantic city, nj. enlarge the poker room at the trump taj mahal, atlantic city, nj.  in order to play, one must learn the basic rules and procedures of the game, the values of the various combinations of cards (see hand), and the rules about betting limits (see betting). some knowledge of the equipment used to play (see poker equipment) is useful. there are also many variants of poker, loosely categorized as draw poker, stud poker, community card poker (a.k.a. "widow game"), and miscellaneous poker games. the most commonly played games of the first three categories are five-card draw, seven-card stud, and texas hold 'em, respectively; each being a common starting point for learning games of the type. dealer's choice is a way to play poker where the dealer chooses what type of poker to play.