The Basics of Poker

In poker, the highest hand is called a royal flush. This is a set of five cards – the 10, Jack, Queen, and King – of the same suit. A royal flush cannot be beat by a royal flush of another suit. There are also other hand combinations that are similar to the royal flush, including straight flushes. The straight flushes are composed of five consecutive cards of the same suit. 4 of a kind is a set of four cards of the same rank.

Almost all poker games are played with poker chips. For games of at least seven players, poker chips should be supplied. The white chip is worth one cent, while the red chip is worth two, four, or five cents. Each player “buys in” to a hand by buying a chip of the same value. If the game has more than seven players, the dealer will supply the chips. There are no specific denominations for chips, as long as the players buy in with the same amount.

Whether to fold or bluff is the best way to play poker. Although most players will not bluff, sometimes a strong hand will be able to win if the players have a good bluff. With enough confidence and a good eye, a player can beat a weak hand. When playing the game, it is important to learn some poker terms before the game starts. Here are some of the more commonly used terms: