While the rules of Poker may vary by casino, the basic principles are the same. Players buy in by placing a blind bet or ante before being dealt hole cards. Each player gets a hand of five cards to start the game, which are called hands. A pair of tens and aces is the highest-ranked hand in poker. A pair of fives is the lowest-ranked hand. All hands consist of five cards. A pair of aces is called a straight.
There are many variations of Poker, which have their own rules. Three-Card Monte and Spit-in-the-Ocean are two such games. All variations are explained later in this chapter. Players who play in card rooms with at least ten players can organize two separate games. However, for poker tournaments, two separate games are usually required. During the game, players should be seated at their tables. If you’d like to play poker with your friends, make sure you’ve got a table and chairs.
During each betting phase, players reveal their cards. The best five-card hand wins the pot, but only if no player has folded. After the draw phase, players reveal their cards clockwise around the table. Depending on the variation, some poker rules require players to put their ante into the pot before the round is completed. A final betting phase ends each round. During this phase, players are dealt cards one by one. Poker rules will determine who begins the process.