If you want to play poker professionally or competitively, you’ll need to follow the rules. Official poker is a set of guidelines prepared by the tournament director. These guidelines are usually posted or distributed to the players. They include rules regarding the use of cell phones, creating a disturbance, collusion with another player or giving advice. Some of these rules may vary slightly, but most will be similar.

The first rule of official poker is to never reveal information about your cards. This includes not reacting to the flop and revealing what type of holding you folded. It’s also illegal to give advice or try and read another player’s hand. This is considered bad form and can affect the way you play poker.

Some advanced players will analyze their opponents and their range of hands in a given situation. This is a key skill that can help you win more often than focusing on winning only one hand.

A common payout structure for a poker tournament is listed by the number of entrants and then by the percentage of that pool they will receive. The payout structure will usually be listed on the tournament page or advertised in some other way. The more entrants, the higher the payout.

Some tournaments will have a guaranteed prize pool but this is a rarity. A guaranteed prize pool is a way to attract more players and can make a tournament much more exciting. However, it’s important to understand that a guaranteed prize pool doesn’t necessarily mean that all of the entrants will win money.