Poker, with its blend of skill, strategy, and chance, has grown to become one of the world’s most beloved card games. Whether you’re playing in a high-stakes tournament or a casual game with friends, understanding the rules is essential. This article will guide you through the basic rules of poker.

At its core, poker is about winning the pot, the collective pool of bets made by players during a hand. This is achieved either by having the highest-ranking hand when all cards are revealed or by getting all other players to fold.

Poker is typically played with a standard 52-card deck, with each player dealt two private cards known as ‘hole cards.’ The game starts with two players making forced bets, the ‘small blind’ and the ‘big blind.’ The small blind is typically half the minimum bet, while the big blind equals the minimum bet. The role of the dealer, and thus the blinds, rotates clockwise after each hand.

After the blinds are posted, the dealer gives each player their hole cards. The first round of betting begins with the player sitting left to the big blind. Players can decide to ‘call’ (match the current bet), ‘raise’ (increase the current bet), or ‘fold’ (surrender their hand).

The dealer then reveals three community cards, known as the ‘flop,’ followed by a second betting round. This betting round begins with the player left of the dealer. The dealer then adds a fourth community card, called the ‘turn,’ followed by another round of betting.

The final community card, called the ‘river,’ is dealt next, leading to the last betting round. If two or more players remain in the hand after this round, the game moves to the ‘showdown.’ Here, players reveal their hands, with the player who made the last bet or raise showing first. The player with the highest-ranking five-card hand, formed from their hole cards and the community cards, wins the pot.

Understanding hand ranks is crucial. From highest to lowest, the hands are as follows: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card. When players have the same hand rank, the hand with the highest-ranking cards within that rank wins. If these are also the same, the pot is split evenly among those players.

Though the rules of poker may seem complex initially, they become intuitive with practice. As you gain experience and understand the strategies, you’ll find that poker is a game not only of chance but also of deep strategy and psychology. Happy playing!