The Basics of Poker
Poker is a card game in which players bet chips against each other, trying to make the best poker hand. It is played from a standard pack of cards (usually 52), which are ranked from high to low: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
The best poker hand wins the pot. Ties are broken by the highest card.
Royal Flush: This is a hand consisting of a 10, Jack, Queen, King, and an Ace of the same suit, one kind (all clubs, diamonds, hearts or spades). It can only be tied, but not defeated by another flush of that same suit.
Straight: This is a sequence of five consecutive cards of the same suit; examples include Q, 10, 7, 6, 5.
Full House: This is a combination of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, such as 3-8s or aces and kings.
Flush: This is a group of five cards of the same suit, such as Q, 10-7-6-5.
Straight Flush: This is a group of four consecutive cards of the same suit, such as Q-Q-J-K-6-5.
Three of a Kind: This is a group of three cards of the same rank, such as three jacks and two aces.
When betting, players to the left of the dealer must call or raise if they want to remain in the betting; otherwise they may fold. They can fold if they do not have enough chips to call; a player can also fold when they are already “all-in,” or have made a bet equal to the previous bet.