Typically, a game of poker is played with a group of people around an oval table. The aim is to win the game by betting until all but one player folds. There are different types of betting options, which vary according to the rules of the game.
The first round of betting begins with the player to the dealer’s left making a bet by putting down a certain number of chips. After the player to the left makes a bet, the remaining players in turn bet. When all players make a bet, the pot is awarded to the winner. This is called a Showdown.
The second round of betting occurs after the flop. The cards are dealt from left to right. Any player may bet, but only one player can be the initial dealer. If there is a tie, the cards are broken by secondary pairs.
The highest card in the hand gives the highest value to the hand. For instance, a five of a kind beats a straight flush, while a five-card hand in two or more suits is better than a four-of-a-kind. A pair of aces beats a pair of kings or queens. The lowest hand is 6-4-3-2-A.
After the first round of betting, the player to the left of the dealer bets a second blind, or minimum bet. This second blind is normally equal to the double first blind. If the player in front of the dealer calls, the dealer has to make a bet, but can reclaim the cards or hide them. If the player folds, the player loses the bet he made. The next player to the left of the dealer, who was first to call, also has the right to call the bet. The remaining players can fold or discard one to five cards, or bet all of their remaining cards. If the player does not fold, all of the cards are placed on the table.
After the second round of betting, the player who has the highest hand is the winner of the pot. If a tie exists, the player with the highest unmatched fifth card wins. Unless the tie is broken by the highest unmatched cards, the next highest card is used. A straight flush starts with the highest card, and a three-of-a-kind wins if there are no cards in a straight. The lowest hand in poker is 6-4-3-2-A, followed by a pair of aces.
If there are no ties, the dealer makes the next bet, which is called a Showdown. The winning player takes all of the bets. The remaining bets are placed in the pot, which is the aggregate of all the bets made by all players in the hand. The pot is distributed equally to the players, if there are any draws. If no player wins the pot, the players may each take all of the bets.
During the third round of betting, the players show their cards. If all the players in the hand fold, the betting phase ends. If any player raises the bet, all the players must call. If no other players call, the player who has the best hand takes the bet and wins.