The Basics of Poker
The game of poker is played with a number of different betting intervals. In the beginning of the hand, one player is given the privilege of making the first bet and must place as much money into the pot as the player before him did. The other players must make a bet, and each player must place a certain number of chips into the pot. These players are said to be active players. Once they have made a bet, they may begin the game.
The game is usually played with poker chips. For games with seven or more players, poker chips should be provided. There are five different types of chips, with the white chip being the lowest value. The red chip is worth five whites and the blue chip is worth two, four, or five reds. Players purchase chips, known as “buy-ins.” In general, they buy in for the same amount as the original bet. Depending on the number of players, two separate games may be organized.
The best hand in poker is called the “nuts,” which is a pair of cards with two different suits. If no pair can be made, the next highest card is used to break a tie. In addition to pairs, the highest five-card hand wins when more than two players have a pair of cards. Similarly, a straight is a five-card hand. The higher of two straights wins when more players have one pair.