Despite the fact that there are hundreds of poker games, the basic rules are the same in all of them. The goal of the game is to create the best hand possible. Whether or not you can make the best hand isn’t always clear, but there are some things you can do to improve your hand.
You’ll be given five cards to start. If you have two cards of the same suit, you’ll have a pair. You can also have a flush. A flush is five cards of the same suit in a row.
If you have four cards of the same suit, you’ll be able to form a straight. A straight is five cards in order, from ace to king.
Ties are broken by the highest card. If you have three of a kind, your hand wins the pot. If you have two pairs, you’ll win a tie if you have the highest unmatched fifth card.
The pot is the sum of all the bets made so far. You may call, raise, or fold. When you raise, you add more chips to the pot. If you call, you match your opponent’s bet. If you fold, you lose your chips. If you check, you stay in the pot, but don’t place a bet.
The ante is a bet that each player makes to get into the round. It is usually a small bet. Most poker games have an ante.
The flop is the first set of three face up cards. After the first round of betting, the dealer deals another set of cards to each player.