Probably one of the most popular games of all time, Poker is played in homes, casinos and even socially. The main goal of the game is to create the highest possible hand. The player with the best hand wins the pot.
A typical Poker game begins with the dealer, who will deal two cards to each player. A standard 52-card pack is used, with jokers added from time to time. The cards are then passed to the next dealer, who shuffles the deck. The next betting interval begins with a “bet” of one or more chips. When the betting interval ends, each player has the same amount of chips as the previous players.
During the betting interval, players can choose to bet, check, or fold. If a player checks, the other player has the option of raising the bet. If a player folds, the chip stack is split among the players in the pot. If a player raises, he or she must put in the same number of chips as the players to the left of the previous player.
A straight flush is when a player has five cards in sequential order of the same suit. A straight flush is usually the highest possible hand with a standard pack. The next highest is four of a kind. A four of a kind can be a pair of aces or two queens.
A full house is when a player has three aces and two 6s. The player can also have a pair of aces, two jacks, or a queen. The other common hand is a straight. A straight is made up of five cards of the same suit in sequential order. The best straight flush is A, K, Q, J, and 10 of the same suit.
A two pair poker hand is a pair of twos, twos, or a pair of fours. The second type of hand is a no pair, which contains nothing. A no pair is usually a poor hand. When a player has two identical hands, they are tied. A tie is not a good hand and should not be bet.
The ante is the initial bet that each player makes. Usually, a $1 or $5 bet is used. The ante is also known as the “buy in bet” and will be placed into the pot. If a player has a pair or better, he or she will be required to put in a larger amount. The ante is also the “buy in” for each betting interval.
If the last player to the left of the last dealer does not check, the ante is not paid. Then, each player to the left must discard their hand. The remaining players will bet one more time. The final betting interval will be the “showdown” where the winner is determined. If a player leaves the game before the final betting interval is complete, the player does not get his or her share of the kitty. The kitty is a special fund that is shared by all players. It is usually used to pay for new decks of cards.