The Basics of Poker
Poker is a card game that is played using a betting system. In a hand, each player has five cards, which are called the cards in the hand. A full house is when you have three of the same rank plus two of a different suit. A flush is when you have five of the same suit, which may be in any order. Straights are when you have 5 of the same rank in any order. The other types of hands are 2 pairs of different ranks.
Poker is played with chips. There are usually four to five different colors, each representing a different value. The lowest-value chip is the white one, while the highest-value chip is the red one. Each player in the game “buys in” by purchasing chips, usually with the same amount as he or she will be spending. After each round, the active player is the first to place his or her chips into the pot. If this happens, the player is called the “active player” of the hand.
Before a game can begin, players must contribute to the pot. Usually, this is done before the first hand is dealt. An ante is a small sum that each player places before the game begins. After a player makes a bet, the next player will have to match it. If he or she wins a hand, the player will earn a certain percentage of the pot. This is known as a rake.