During the American Civil War, the game of poker was introduced to American soldiers. The term poker may have a European origin, with the word being derived from the French word poque, meaning “peaceful.” The game is played with a standard 52-card deck.
The cards are dealt face up. Each player is dealt five cards. The first player to the left of the button, known as the dealer, has the responsibility of making the first bet.
The player to the left of the dealer also bets a small amount, known as the second blind. The second blind is usually equal to the value of the first blind.
A pair is two cards of the same rank. It is better than a pair of a different rank. When comparing two pairs, the lowest odd card should be used.
A full house is three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. It is also called sevens on tens. It is won when the three cards of the same rank break a tie.
A straight is five cards in sequential order. A flush is five cards of the same suit. A straight flush starts with the highest card.
The winner is the player with the best hand. This can be determined by the highest card, the highest card in a tie, or the second highest card. In the event of a tie, the high card breaks the tie.
The goal of poker is to make the highest hand possible. When betting, players can match the current open bet, or raise the bet. Once the betting is over, dealing resumes and the winning hand is revealed.
