How to Play Texas Holdem Poker

Poker

In a standard deck of 52 cards, the highest hand is a straight flush, which is composed of five cards of the same suit in consecutive order. A straight flush is also known as a royal flush. The probability of obtaining a royal flush is one in nearly six million hands. Next highest hand is four of a kind, which can consist of any card.

The first phase of betting begins with the player to the left of the big blind. Then, three cards are dealt face-up in the center of the table. These are the community cards. Every player uses these cards to build a five-card hand. The winner is the player with the highest five-card hand.

In the second phase of the game, players reveal their cards. A final betting phase follows. Only players who have not folded have a chance of winning the round. After this betting phase, the players reveal their cards clockwise around the table. The best hand wins the pot. The game continues in this fashion until the last player has folded or called.

Depending on the stakes of the game, a minimum ante is required to play. Usually, this ante equals a minimum bet.