Several rules govern the game of poker. A hand containing two distinct pairs and one wild card wins. In general, the best hand is a pair of five cards. In some variations, the highest pair wins. Generally, the highest pair wins the pot, but the highest card may also win if there are no pairs or better hands. If two hands have the same rank, ties are broken by secondary pairs or the highest unmatched card.
Unless otherwise stated, each player has the right to place a bet. All poker chips and money that are placed into the pot are put in a “pot.” The winning player of a hand gets the entire pot’s worth of cash. In most variations of poker, players must buy into the game by placing chips into the pot equal to the amount of chips they’ve collected from previous players. If a player places a bet that no one else calls, he or she is said to be an “active player.”
Usually, players place their cards face-up in a row in front of them. The front hand is the farthest, while the middle hand is the next closest. Each player’s turn in dealing cards and betting goes from one player to the next. However, any player may shuffle their cards and offer it to their opponent. The dealer is the last person who has the right to shuffle the cards. The dealer’s turn to shuffle the cards comes after the other players have finished betting.