Probably the most popular card game in the world, poker is played in casinos, private homes and online. There are a variety of versions of the game, but most of them involve one or more rounds of betting. Players evaluate their hands, then wager on the hand that is best according to the rules of the game. Depending on the version of the game, the players may also be required to place an ante into the pot.
In the first round of a Poker game, the dealer distributes cards to the players. The first person left of the button has the privilege to make the first bet. The dealer then shuffles the deck. The next player to the left has the right to call the bet, and each player on the left has the right to “raise” the bet.
Each player has a set of five cards, which are grouped into a hand. A high-card hand, for example, includes the kicker, the highest ranking card in the deck. A hand that contains a kicker is called a four-of-a-kind. A hand that does not contain a kicker is a straight. A hand that contains a kicker and a pair of aces is a straight flush.
The lowest possible hand is 6-4-3-2-A, or 7-5-4-3-2, or a pair of aces. A straight is sometimes used as the final showdown. A hand with a kicker is the highest rank of card remaining in the deck in any hand. The dealer shuffles the deck and passes it to the next player.
Each player then bets in the first betting interval. A blind is a forced bet, and the first bettor must bet at least the minimum. A side pot is a separate pot that is won by a different player. A kitty is a special fund that is divided among the players who remain in the game. This money is used to pay for the cards and other expenses.
After the first round, the next player in the betting interval has the right to raise. If the next player to the left does not raise, then the player who did not make a bet on the first round of betting is the new player. A player who does not make a bet on the first bet is said to be a “drop” or to “fold”. If a drop occurs, all the chips in the pot are removed from the pot and the player loses the right to compete for the pot. The pot may then be won by making a bet that no other player calls. The main pot is won by the player with the best hand.
A player who does not make a bet during the first or second betting interval is considered to be an active player. A player who makes a bet during the first or second bet is called to “check.” A player who makes a bet during any other bet is called to “raise.”
The player who has the highest ranking poker hand in a given round has the obligation to make the first bet. Each player to the left has the right to “raise” or “drop” the bet. The player who does not raise must place the same number of chips into the pot as the players who raised.