Poker is a card game played with a group of players. While the outcome of any particular hand largely involves chance, the long-run expectations of players are determined by actions chosen on the basis of probability, psychology, and game theory.
In the first step, each player receives two cards that are private to them (known as their hole cards). There are then a series of betting rounds where players can choose to pass, check (put chips into the pot that other players must match), raise or fold.
If a player is holding a strong poker hand, they can bet aggressively on later streets to force weaker hands out of the pot. This is a great way to maximize your chances of winning!
After the betting round, three additional community cards are dealt. These are known as the flop, turn and river. The best five-card poker hand wins.
A flush contains any five cards of the same suit that skip around in rank or sequence. A straight contains five cards in consecutive rank but from different suits. A full house contains three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank. A pair contains two cards of the same rank plus a third unmatched card. If there is a tie, the highest ranking card wins. You may also draw replacement cards for the cards in your hand during or after the betting round, depending on your game’s rules.