Poker is a game of skill, chance and bluffing. It can be played at home, socially, or professionally for thousands of dollars. There are hundreds of variations on the rules of the game.
In order to win a pot, the player with the best hand must beat the highest hands in the pot. The lowest hand is 7-5-4-3-2 in two or more suits. Some poker games may split the pot between the highest and the lowest hands.
Players bet into the pot in a round, or interval. Each interval begins with a player’s bet, and the betting continues until everyone folds.
A player can raise the current open bet. Another player can match it, or call the bet.
If no other players call, a showdown occurs. When the last player has revealed his hand, the winner is the player with the best hand.
If more than one person has the same hand, the ties are broken by a high card. For example, if two people have a pair of kings, the king breaks the tie.
After the ties are broken, another interval of betting follows. This is called a “showdown”. At this point, all of the remaining players have to reveal their cards.
The game of Poker is most often played with chips. Each chip is worth a certain amount of money. Chips can be white, blue, or dark. White chips are usually the least valued. Red chips are the most valuable.