In the game of Poker, each player receives a certain number of cards. The lowest possible hand is seven, five, four, and three in two or more suits. Some games, however, treat the ace as the lowest card. The lowest pair is a pair of aces. Other hands may contain higher or lower values, but no one has the best hand in Poker. All variations of the game are described further in this chapter. If there are more than 10 players in a game, two separate games may be organized.

Each player in Poker has the opportunity to place a bet during each betting interval. While the player with the highest value of cards wins, he must minimize his losses and maximize his winnings when he has a high-quality hand. The amount of money in the pot, referred to as the “pot,” determines how much a player can bet and what his maximum bet should be. Poker rules often stipulate that an ante must be placed into the pot before a player can begin playing.

The highest-ranking hand in poker is a royal flush. This is the best hand to have when using a standard pack of cards. The highest straight flush is five cards in a row of the same suit. A royal flush, which is also known as a royal straight flush, has odds of 1:650,000. The next highest hand is four of a kind, which can include four aces. In poker, the fourth unmatched card in a hand does not count.