Almost all games of poker are played using chips. They are generally dark-colored, ranging in value from 10 to 25 whites. The lowest-value chip is a blue chip, which is usually worth two, four or five reds.
Each player is dealt a card face down. In some variants, the cards are not dealt face up. In stud poker, some cards are dealt face up as betting progresses.
The first player in each round makes a bet. This is called a “bet”. The next bettor to the left of the previous bettor is called a “raise”. The last bettor to the left of the previous betor is called a “check”.
All players must check their hands before showing them to the other players. If more than one player remains, the final round is called a “showdown”. The highest-ranking poker hand wins the pot. Other players may also win a side pot.
A full house is a hand made up of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. A flush is a five-card hand with the same suit. A straight is a five-card hand in sequence. The lowest-ranking hand is a pair of aces.
A no pair hand is a hand containing no consecutive cards. The highest-ranking hand is a straight flush. Some poker variations may not consider flushes.
The best hand is called the “best hand” in the game. In some games, the pot is divided between the hands with the highest and the lowest-ranking hands.