The Basics of Poker

Poker

Poker is a card game played worldwide. The rules vary a bit, but the main purpose is to win the pot of gold. This is usually done by having the highest ranking hand. In some cases, this can be achieved by the use of a wild card.

In the simplest form of poker, a standard deck of cards is used. Each player is dealt five cards. These may be face up or face down.

Most games contain two or more rounds of betting. There are also special cards called jokers. Besides the main pot, a separate side pot is created by players who bet extra money in the last round of play.

One of the most basic poker hands is the straight flush, in which the cards are in order from ace to king. The straight flush is the best natural hand, as it is comprised of five cards in the same suit.

A more complex version of the straight flush is the royal flush, which is a straight flush with an ace high. Similarly, the best natural hand is a trip sevens, with a pair of kings and a pair of jacks.

Some of the newer variants of poker include deuces wild and multi-pack games. However, the true poker game requires 52 cards.

The ante is a small bet all players make before the deal. Depending on the game, the ante is either a fixed amount or a number that is determined by the player.