The Basics of Poker
Poker is a game of chance and skill, with many different versions of the rules and a bluffing and misdirection spirit. Its history is a little mysterious, but it is likely that the word poker comes from a 17th-century French game called poque, from which we get the word “poker.” As the game evolved from the original French game, it was adapted to German pochen, a new version of primero. French settlers brought the game to the New World, where it is now played with a deck of cards.
The best possible hand at any given time is a “nuts” hand, consisting of two different pairs of cards and one high card. Other winning hands include a trip seven, an eight or nine, and a straight. The last card of the deck is a “river,” or the last 7 of the deck. If the board is a straight, the player with the highest pair of cards wins. But if there are no pairs or ties, the high card breaks the ties.
The game begins by placing an ante, or a small bet. In the Ante, one player must place a nickel into the pot. Then, five cards are dealt to each player. An average hand has five cards, and a pair of kings isn’t a bad hand. Betting then begins. This process continues until all the players have been dealt their five cards. The player with the best hand wins.