Typically, poker is played with a standard pack of 52 cards. It’s played by a group of people around a table, with each player receiving a card from a shuffled deck. During the course of the game, a player with the best hand wins the pot.
Before the game begins, a player must choose a position on the table. In some games, a player’s position is determined by a designated button. This button moves one spot clockwise after each hand.
The cards are then dealt to each player one at a time. This process usually begins with the person to the left of the button. The person to the left of the button must post the small blind and the big blind.
After a round of betting, everyone discards three cards. Then, another round of betting occurs. After a few rounds of betting, all but one player folds. The player who remains in the hand collects the pot without revealing his hand.
In poker, a “straight” is a five card hand of the same suit. The highest straight wins when no other straights tie. When two straights have the same value, they split the pot.
In some poker variants, the pot is split between the highest and lowest hands. For example, in a game of stud, the pot is split between the highest two-pair and highest single-pair.
A straight flush is a five-card hand of the same suit. The ace can be either high or low. If a player has a straight flush, it can’t be a wraparound K-A-2-3-4.