Poker is one of the easiest gambling card games to learn. The whole game is about matching different combinations of cards to beat other players’ hands. Since poker is played with a single deck of 52 cards, there are a limited number of variations you can have. It is easy to learn the different types of hands.
Once you learn the language, it’s easy to feel like a high roller when you sit down to play. Standard five-card poker hands are ranked here in order of strength, from strongest to weakest.
Royal Flush
The best possible hand you can get in standard five-card Poker is called a royal flush. This hand consists of: ace, king, queen, jack and 10, all in the same suit. If you have a royal flush, you’ll want to place a higher bet because it’s a difficult hand to beat.
Straight flush
Any sequence of five cards of the same suit (e.g., 8, 9, 10, jack and queen of clubs; or 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of diamonds). If another player has a flush, he can beat yours if his cards have a higher number than yours.
Four same cards
All four cards of the same value (e.g., 8, 8, 8, 8; or queen, queen, queen, queen) are the so-called four of a kind. It is difficult to draw a four of a kind, which makes it a very good hand.
Full House
A three of a kind combined with a pair (e.g. 10, 10, 10 with 6, 6; or King, King, King with 5, is called a full house.
Color
Any five cards of the same suit but not in sequence (e.g., 4, 5, 7, 10 and king of spades) are referred to as a flush.
Straight
Five cards in sequence but not in the same suit (e.g., 7 of clubs, 8 of clubs, 9 of diamonds, 10 of spades and jack of diamonds) is referred to as a straight.
Three of a kind
Three cards of the same value (e.g. 3, 3, 3; or Jack, Jack, Jack). This is a lower ranked hand, but it is more often chosen than flushes or full houses. When you’re betting, it’s a good idea to keep in mind which hands are the most common.
Two pairs
Naming conventions in poker are fairly simple; for example, two separate pairs (e.g., 2, 2, Lady, Lady) are known as two pairs.
Pair
Two cards of the same value are known as a pair (e.g., 7, 7).
High card
If a poker hand does not contain any of the above combinations, it is judged by the highest card in it.
Note on bluffing
Whether you are playing for real money or not, poker is inherently a game of chance. In each hand, you must decide whether or not to bet. You can fold at any time before you are asked to show your cards. If you fold, you lose your chance to win the pot. After each player has received their cards, then the bluffing begins.
Other players will analyze your body language, trying to guess your hand. It is up to you to decide what emotions you want to show. A good player knows how to hide his true feelings about his hand. If you have a weaker hand, it may be a good idea to pretend to be overconfident and cocky to get other players to fold. If your hand is strong, you may behave nervously in the hope that other players will bet more to increase your potential winnings. This behavior is called bluffing, and it’s a fun part of playing poker.