The Basics of Poker

Depending on the rules of the poker game, the player can choose to bet on the value of the cards he has. If he chooses to bet, he can either bet on the value of the hand, or bluff by betting that he has the best hand. The player is not allowed to tell other players that he is bluffing, however.

To start the game, the player to the left of the dealer puts a bet into the pot. The amount is normally double the amount of the first blind.

The second player puts in a second bet into the pot. If the first bet was made by the dealer, the player to the left of the dealer may either bet or check.

The player to the left of the dealer is now the first dealer. He is the one who has to make the first bet. He may also check during later betting intervals.

The player who has the best hand is the winner. The winning player takes the pot. He is also awarded all the bets placed in front of him. Depending on the rules of the game, different players may be winners in the main pot and side pots.

The highest card gives the value of the hand. When there are ties between players, a high card breaks them.

The highest five-card hand wins. A flush is all cards of the same suit. A full house is a hand of two distinct pairs plus a fifth card. A straight is all cards of the same suit with no suit higher than another.