Poker is a gambling game that is played with cards and money. The object is to win the most points by creating the best hand. Each player is dealt five cards and must form a hand from them.
When the deal is over, the winning player takes the pot. If a player does not have a flush, a straight, a straight flush, a royal flush, or a full house, the pot is divided equally between the remaining players.
Players can discard as many as three cards. Some games have a limit of four or five cards. A player can also make a forced bet or blind bet.
The highest card is a good indicator of the value of the hand. For example, a pair of kings is not a bad hand off the deal, but a pair of kings paired with an ace will probably be a better play.
The ante is a small bet that all players must make before the first hand is dealt. This gives the pot a definite value right away.
There are plenty of other poker rules that can be a little more complex, but the following is a quick guide to the basics. You can find more information in books and online.
The best hands are usually the ones that are made up of two distinct pairs of cards plus a fifth card. This type of hand is called a backdoor flush. It’s achieved by hitting necessary cards on the turn and river.