Poker is a card game that involves betting. The best hand wins the pot, which is all the money bet during the round. It is possible to win a round even with a bad hand, though this requires luck and skill (or good bluffing).
At the start of a hand, players put in an amount of money called an ante into the pot. Then they are dealt cards, usually five. They then use their best five-card hand to compete for the pot. Depending on the variant of poker being played, there may be one or more betting intervals. Each betting interval starts with the player to the left of the dealer. This player has the privilege or obligation to make the first bet in the round, although there are variations in this rule.
When it is a player’s turn to bet, they can say “call” or “raise” to increase their bet. They can also fold if they do not want to compete for the pot.
A pair is two cards of the same rank, and a straight is three or more consecutive cards of the same suit. A flush is all five cards of the same suit. The highest card breaks ties if no other hands are present. If there is a tie, the second highest card takes precedence. The first high card that does not qualify as a pair or higher wins the pot. The second highest card will then be examined to see if it qualifies for a hand.
