Probably one of the most popular games in the world, poker is a game played by a group of people sitting around a table. Each player is dealt seven cards. The player with the best hand wins the pot. If the hand is a tie, the highest card breaks the tie.
A common variation, the Spit-in-the-Ocean is a game with fewer cards. Players can make a “backdoor flush” by hitting the needed cards on the turn and river. The best possible hand is a trip 7s. However, a pair of kings is not very good off the deal.
A typical 52-card deck is used, though jokers and a wild card can be added. The deck is shuffled after every hand. The deck is then dealt one card at a time, starting with the player to the immediate right of the button. The deck is then passed around the table. The player in the first-to-act position sits on the left of the big blind.
The player in this position must make a forced bet, which is typically a small bet. The bet is called the ante. The ante is usually $1 or $5. If the player chooses to raise, he must bet a greater amount. He is also called an “active player.”
After the first round of betting, the dealer shuffles and deals cards to the players one by one. Each player has the option of “calling” or “folding,” meaning he or she will not make another bet. When a player folds, he or she removes any chips in the pot.
In the next round of betting, the players will have the opportunity to decide whether to call, raise, or fold. In the final round of betting, each player will show his or her full hand to everyone. If anyone reveals a “poker hand,” the person with the best hand will win the pot. The hand may be bluffing, meaning the player is trying to convince others to fold. It may be the best hand, or it may not.
Ties are broken when the highest card of the five cards breaks the tie. For example, a pair of kings wins a tie if the high card is a king. If there are two kings, a king breaks the tie.
The high card also breaks ties when there is more than one player tied for the highest card. For example, if there are three people with kings, the highest card will break the tie. If there are three people with kings and a king, a high card breaks the tie.
The best possible hand is the “nuts” or a hand that has two distinct pairs of cards plus a fifth card. For example, an ace-ace-7-4 is a counterfeit card. A straight flush is a hand made by using all cards of the same suit.
If there is no one left to call, the hand will be folded. If there are two callers, the hand will go to a showdown. In a showdown, the player with the best hand wins the pot.