The game of poker is a card game in which players wager against one another with chips that they place into the center of the table. The highest-ranking hand wins the pot. A royal flush is a 10, Jack, Queen, and King of the same suit in order of rank (clubs, diamonds, hearts, or spades). The most common poker hand is a straight. A straight is 5 consecutive cards of the same suit, ranked in order of value from highest to lowest (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, or royal).
The first round of betting begins after all players have been dealt 2 cards face down by the dealer. The player to the left of the big blind can either put out a bet equal to or higher than the amount raised by the last player to stay in the hand, call the previous raise, or fold their cards into the dealer face down without putting any chips into the middle (push).
After all players have called the previous bets or folded their hands the dealer deals three cards to the table that everyone can use, this is known as the flop. Then there is another round of betting and the highest hand (that has not already folded) wins the pot.
Learning the game of poker requires a fair amount of luck and skill but it is also important to remember to play responsibly. Don’t risk all of your bankroll on a weak hand and be sure to read our poker hand rankings.
