Whether you’ve played it, heard about it or are new to poker, there’s one important thing to understand: poker is a game of chance. Your goal is to get the best hand you can. Then, you can either bet the pot or fold. The person with the best hand wins. The betting phase ends when everyone folds.

The first two cards are dealt to each player. A player can raise, fold or check. If a player raises, the pot will be split if someone else in the pot calls. If a player folds, the stake is not increased.

A straight flush is five cards in sequential order of the same suit. The highest card of the suit breaks ties. A straight flush is also called a Royal Flush. A straight flush is the best natural hand.

A hand of five cards, two of which are a pair, is considered a full house. This is the highest natural hand, and it’s usually very hard to beat. If a player has a pair and three of a kind, they’re doing a lot better than the rest of the players. A full house is not as good off the deal as a pair of kings, but it’s not bad.

The next round of betting begins with the remaining players. The player with the highest hand, either a pair, a full house, or a straight, takes the pot. If anyone else raises, the play continues until all but the highest hand Folds. If the highest hand remains, a Showdown is held.

The highest hand, regardless of rank, wins the pot. If multiple people have the same hand, the highest card breaks the tie. This happens when a player has a pair, a flush, or a straight, and the other players have a pair of a different type of hand. A high card is also the best way to break a tie when a hand has multiple people with the same high card.

Four of a kind is when a player has four of the same rank. When a player has all four Aces, they’re called a four of a kind. If a player has a pair of kings and a pair of queens, they’re doing well off the deal. If two players have a pair of kings, the higher of the two wins.

A player with a straight, a flush, a full house, or a four of a kind wins the pot if they’re the highest. If more than one player has a straight, a flush, ruff, or a four of a kind, the higher of the two wins.

In a draw poker game, a player has the right to swap up to three of their cards with the dealer. This is a type of poker that is a variation of standard poker. Normally, the poker dealer deals a pack of 52 cards, and each player has seven. If the hand is tied, the player with the highest kicker, the card with the highest rank left in the deck, breaks the tie.