In poker, each player is dealt two cards face down, known as his pocket or hole. The player to the left of the big blind places the first bet. The next three cards are dealt face up on the table, called the flop. These three cards form the community’s hand, and each player uses them to form a 5-card hand.

The value of each hand is determined by the probability of getting each type. A hand with the highest probability of being a flush is more valuable than one with a lower probability. However, different poker variants may use different drawing rules and the hand classifications vary slightly. However, there are some general rules that can be used in determining the best possible hand in poker.

In poker, two identical pairs tie if they are of the same rank. If they do, the players share the pot. In the case of identical pairs, the winning hand depends on the next card’s ranking. For instance, a high pair, or an identical pair, is higher than a pair of Qs or a pair of kings.

In some games, each player must contribute a small sum before the game begins. The player with the highest value hand wins the pot. In the final betting phase, the players reveal their hands clockwise around the table.