Typical poker games are played by a group of people around a circular table. Each player is dealt five cards. The player with the highest ranking hand of cards wins the pot.
Ties are broken by the highest card in each hand. For example, if two players have a four of a kind, the high card wins the pot. A straight flush starts with the highest value card. If two players have a four of a type with the same rank, the high card breaks the tie.
The next round of betting begins with the two remaining dealers. This round is called the showdown. After the showdown, the player with the highest hand of cards wins the pot. The pot is the sum of all bets made by all players in a single deal. In case of a draw, the pot is divided equally among players.
Each player has the right to shuffle his or her cards. The dealer is the player who is first to deal. In games where a player’s hand rotates, the right to deal is assigned to the player left of the dealer button. The button is typically a white plastic disk.
A player is said to raise if he or she bets more than the previous bettor. This is usually done by adding more to the bet in front of the player.
Players who check are said to stay in if they have no bet. If they check, they must make sure no other player has a bet.