The Basics of Poker

The goal of the game of poker is to achieve a hand consisting of three or more cards of the same rank. The highest-ranking card is known as a full house. A straight is a hand that contains five consecutive cards of the same rank, regardless of suit. A flush is a hand consisting of five matching cards, all of the same suit. A two pair is made up of two cards of one ranking plus a pair of the same rank.

Although many different types of poker are played today, all of them share common elements. Whether the game is played in a casino or at home, its foundation is the same: it begins with a single player, who is given the privilege of placing the first bet. Each player has an obligation to place the same number of chips into the pot, which is the pot. This player is considered an active player. After the first bet, each player must continue betting until all of their chips are in the pot.

The first player to make a bet is known as the “buy in,” and the amount of money that he is willing to risk is called the “buy-in.” Players purchase poker chips, with the white chip usually being the lowest-valued. The red chip is worth five whites, and the blue chip is worth two, four, or five reds. In the game of poker, each player “buys in” by buying chips. Normally, each player buys in for the same amount, as many players will be in the game at the same time.