Poker is a gambling game played with a single deck of cards. Players make bets on the cards they hold or hope to hold. Although there is a large element of chance in deciding the outcome of a poker game, skill is a major factor in determining the winner.
Poker is played at home, in casinos and other public card rooms, and on the Internet. There are many versions of poker played today by millions of players. The modern game developed in the American South and West in the early 1800’s. Televised tournaments in the early 2000’s led to new popularity for the game.
One of the most popular kinds of poker is stud poker. In seven-card stud, players are dealt two cards facedown and one card faceup. Then players are dealt three additional cards faceup and one facedown. Bets are placed after each round of cards is dealt. The best five-card hand out of the seven wins.
The following is the ranking of hands, from highest to lowest, for poker games in which the high hand wins:
Royal flush: A-K-Q-J-10 (all of one suit)
Straight flush: any five cards in sequence, all of one suit
Four of a kind: any four cards of the same value
Full house: any three of a kind plus a pair
Flush: any five cards of the same suit
Straight: any five cards in sequence from any suit
Three of a kind: any three cards of the same value
Two pairs
One pair
Highest card
If two hands are of the same rank, the hand with the higher cards wins.
