How to Play Poker
During a poker game, a group of people sit around a circular table. The player with the highest hand wins the pot. The pot is a collection of all bets placed in one deal. If more than one player has a winning hand, the pot is divided equally between the winners.
Poker is played with up to seven players. In order to play, a player must first place a small bet. This bet is called the ante. The amount of the ante varies from game to game. In some games, a player may also be required to contribute to the pot before the deal.
Once the cards are dealt, each player has a turn to bet or fold. Betting is typically done in a clockwise order. The player who bets first is called the bettor. If all players check, the betting period ends. If the first bettor bets, the next player may raise. If no one raises, the betting period ends. The player who bets the most is called the raiser.
If the bettor does not raise, the player who is left with the least amount of money is called the caller. If he raises, the stake is increased. A player may also bluff by betting that he has the best hand.
If there is a tie for the highest card, the highest card breaks the tie. For example, if a player has a pair of kings, but another player has a pair of kings and a pair of jacks, the kings breaks the tie.