Start a Poker Hand is a term used to describe the beginning of a game of poker. It involves each player putting in an ante, which is a small amount of money that goes into the pot, and then the dealer dealing out the cards. The term 'ante' comes from the Latin word for 'BEFORE' and is used to signify the start of the game. The term 'DEAL' comes from the Old English word for 'DIVIDE' and is used to signify the distribution of the cards.