The Basics of Poker

Poker is a card game in which the highest hand wins. Each hand consists of two distinct pairs of cards plus a fifth card. If the pair is not of the same suit, the player with the highest card wins. If there is a tie, the high card breaks the tie. The highest card of a player breaks the tie when no one has a pair, or when multiple players have high hands of the same type.

There are two main forms of Poker: Draw Poker and Stud Poker. In Draw Poker, all the cards are dealt face-down, while in Stud Poker, some are dealt face-up as the betting progresses. In both games, other players can see only a small part of each player’s hand. In Draw Poker, only experienced players participate in the game. They often use a stripped deck, consisting of only deuces and treys. This game is typically played with four or more players.

The best natural hand is the straight flush. This is a set of five cards with the same rank. An ace can be high or low, but cannot wrap around another card. An Ace high straight flush is called a Royal Flush.