Rake
The rake is the commission that a casino or poker room takes from each pot in a cash game. In tournaments, the equivalent is the entry fee. It is how the house makes its money.
The simple explanation
The house does not play against you. It earns by taking a small percentage of every pot, up to a maximum called the cap. So the players as a group lose the amount of the rake.
A closer look
The rake is a large factor in the profit of a player, especially at low stakes where the percentage is higher. It is collected in several ways: a percentage of the pot (usually 2.5 to 10 percent), a time charge or a flat drop. A 'no flop, no drop' rule means that no rake is taken if there is no flop. High rake limits the amount a winning player can earn, so game selection matters. Rakeback programs return a part of the rake to players.
A practical example
A $1/$2 game takes 10 percent of each pot up to $5. A $30 pot pays $3 in rake.
Full explanation
The rake is the commission that a casino or poker room takes from each pot in a cash game. In tournaments, the equivalent is the entry fee. It is how the house makes its money.
The rake is the commission taken by the house from cash game pots.
Tournaments charge a fee instead.
It is usually a percentage with a cap.
High rake makes it harder to win.