Poker is a game played with cards and chips. It can be played with as few as two players, or with as many as eighty-five. The game starts with a dealer who handles the cards for each hand. Players can replace cards that have been dealt before their hand is revealed.
Before the game starts, the dealer assigns a value to each chip. Chips are typically dark colored. They range from two to five reds, and 10 or 25 whites.
To play, each player must bet a certain amount. Each bet is limited to the amount of chips in the pot. If no one calls, the player who made the bet wins the pot.
Once all players have bet, the remaining players reveal their hands. The highest hand wins the pot. A hand with five cards, such as a straight, is considered the best. Other possible combinations include a pair, a flush, or a straight flush.
If no one calls, a showdown is held. The highest card breaks ties. In addition, a high card outside a four of a kind wins if there are two fours of a kind with the same rank.
After the cards are discarded, a second betting interval is held. This is a chance for a player to raise. When a raise is called, the player must match the previous bet.
The last bet interval is the final round of betting. This is the best time to try to improve your hand.