The Basics of Poker
Poker is a game that involves skill, chance and some luck. It is usually played with a normal 52-card deck. The dealer is the one who deals the cards. This is done clockwise around the table. Cards are dealt face up until a jack is revealed.
The player with the best hand takes the pot. If there are more than one player still in contention, then a showdown occurs. In this case, a second betting interval occurs.
Each player then places chips in the pot. Each chip is then counted to determine the order of winners. Typically, poker chips are red, green, or white. However, there are other colors.
The first player to bet is called the bettor. He may call, raise, or fold. To make a raise, a player must bet more than the previous bettor.
A “bet” in poker is an amount of money, usually made with a plastic or ceramic chip. An ante, or a contribution to the pot, is also placed into the pot.
When the flop is dealt, each player is given a turn to bet. When a player does not make a bet, the round ends. At the end of the round, all of the bets are combined into a pot.
All but one player must then fold. In some games, the ace is considered the lowest card, while in others, the aces are treated as the lowest.
After the first round, the game moves to the second round, which is also known as the draw. In this round, each player is given the chance to discard up to three cards.