Poker is a gambling game where players bet into a “pot” or a total sum of money. The player who has the best hand wins the pot. A poker hand is comprised of five cards. The best hand will usually include one or two pair, a straight, a flush, or a three-of-a-kind. Alternatively, it can include a wild card. A wild card is a card that can replace any other card in the deck. Typically, all cards of the same suit are considered to be a wild card.
A pot is the amount of all bets made by all players during a single deal. All bets are matched, except if a bet is made that is smaller than the previous one. In case a draw occurs, the entire pot is divided equally among the players. A pot can also be won by making a bet that nobody else calls.
In a typical game, the first player is the first to bet. The dealer will distribute cards to the active players in clockwise order. The cards may be face up or face down. Once the cards are distributed, the dealer will cut them and shuffle the cards. Then, the cards are dealt to the remaining players.
In most games, the dealer will begin the round by distributing one card face up to each of the players. In some poker variants, a player who has already placed a bet will be required to show all of his or her cards. The dealer will then reveal one or two cards, but may choose not to.
The betting phases are interrupted by a “showdown.” A showdown is the point where more than one player remains in the pot. The winning player will be the one to reveal the best hand and collect the pot. If a tie occurs, the winning hand is the high card in that hand. The highest unmatched card in a tie breaks it. In some poker variations, the highest unmatched card in a tie can be a joker.
A showdown is the last round of betting. If all players call, the game is finished. The showdown occurs when the winning hand is revealed. If no player has a winning hand, the play moves on to the next round. If there is a tie, the player with the higher hand breaks the tie.
A betting interval takes place after each round of dealing. Each betting interval is followed by another round of dealing, where each player receives one more card. If all players call, the round of betting is completed and the pot is left on the table for the next round of betting. If no players call, the round of betting ends. The round of betting is interrupted once the player who opens the pot reveals his or her cards. If a player tries to hide his or her cards, the round of betting is interrupted, and the hand is re-shuffled.