The official poker rules are designed to make poker tournaments fair and consistent around the world. They are managed by the professional Tournament Directors Association (or Poker TDA), a group of poker professionals that began in 2001. Today, the organization has more than 2,500 members worldwide and includes managers of large live poker rooms, circuits, and independent tournaments. Its members include WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel.
Despite the rules, some players still fail to follow them. They might even act out-of-turn by accident. To avoid this, it is important to pay attention to your opponents and not get distracted while playing. While it is not against the official poker rules, playing while distracted is disrespectful of others. However, this is not the only reason why players should not break poker etiquette.
Although poker has many different variations, most of them originated in the United States during the 18th century. The rules of most poker games follow a standard order of play. Specific rules are required regarding hand values, betting rounds, and actions that take place between rounds. Some poker games have different rules depending on the format and house rules.
The first betting round starts with the player to the left of the big blind, who must choose whether to fold or call. The player who folds may not reveal the type of hand he or she has. After folding, players should avoid revealing their hand to their opponents and should not reveal it to friends. Furthermore, they should not give advice to fellow players, as this is against the rules of the game.