During a poker hand, players use their five cards to create the best possible hand. The highest hand wins the pot. If there are ties, the high card breaks them.
Poker hands are dealt face-up or face-down, depending on the rules of the game. The cards are ranked from Ace high to low. The dealer is the last player to shuffle. The cards may be hidden. The cards are revealed at the end of a hand.
When a poker player has two pairs of cards plus a fifth card, it is considered a full house. A player is considered all-in if he puts all of his chips into the pot. A player who is all-in cannot call other players’ bets or fold. If a player folds, he loses any chips in the pot.
A poker hand may also include four of a kind, which is four cards of the same rank. A poker hand can also contain a straight, a flush, or a trip. The best possible straight is an 8-9. A poker hand can also include a pair of kings, but it is not the best possible hand.
The player to the left of the button must post a small blind. The dealer will shuffle and deal the cards one at a time, each player revealing one hand at a time. The betting phase begins between the first two cards.
Each betting interval begins with a bet of one or more chips. The betting phase ends when the bets are equalized. A betting interval may last two or more rounds. The last round is called a showdown.