Using five cards, a player has to form the best poker hand. The winner of the pot is the player with the highest ranking poker hand. Ties are broken by the high card. Ties among wild cards are broken by the unmatched card of a secondary pair. Ties between two pairs of different suits are broken by the highest unmatched card of the second pair.
During a betting round, all but one player is allowed to fold. If the other players are still in the game, they are said to be “bluffing”. The aim of the game is to win the pot, by making a bet that no other player calls.
The first player to make a bet is referred to as the “active player”. The active player is the player who is in charge of the betting action. The player who makes the first bet is called the “bettor.” Those who match the first bet are said to be the “callers.” Those who call are said to be the “matchers.” The first and last betting intervals are the “blinds.”
The first player to show up is the dealer. The dealer is the person who deals the cards to the other players. The dealer has the last right to shuffle the cards. In some variants, the dealer shuffles cards from different packs. In others, the cards are dealt face down. In the case of a showdown, the winning player shows the cards to everyone.
When a player makes a good bet, they are said to be “bluffing.” Those who do not bluff are said to be “staying in.” The most expensive form of poker is played with six or eight players, while the cheapest is played with four or five. A player who does not bluff has more fun, since bluffing involves betting a large sum of money.
The player who is called to be the “first dealer” has the right to shuffle the cards. He or she can also hide the cards in the middle of the table, but must then offer them to the other player for a cut. A player can only open the pot if he or she has at least one pair of jacks.
A “showdown” is the culmination of the betting phase. The final betting round is the most exciting part of the game. When all of the players have checked, the winner is the player who has the highest hand. A straight is a hand consisting of the highest three cards. A flush is a hand made up of five cards.
When the last betting round is complete, the last active player takes the pot. The pot is divided equally among the players in the event of a draw. The most important thing to remember is that the highest card has to give the most value to the player. The value of the poker hand is inversely proportional to the frequency with which the mathematically similar hand is exhibited.