Despite the fact that poker is a game of chance, it still requires skill and knowledge. Players must study their hand and decide whether to bet or pass. If the player decides to bet, they are obligated to put a specified amount in the pot. When the betting phase is finished, the player shows the cards and the winner is determined.
The highest hand wins the pot. When a hand is tied, the highest card breaks the tie. For example, an ace and a queen high is an ace-queen high.
When a player has more than five cards, he must decide which five cards to use to form his poker hand. The cards are ranked: ace, king, queen, jack, and ten. When a hand is tied, the player with the highest unmatched fifth card wins.
The highest poker hand is a royal flush. The royal flush is made of ace, king, queen, a jack, and ten in the same suit.
The game is usually played with a 52 card English deck. However, some variant games use two or more packs of cards. Some games have wild cards that can be used to supplement any other card.
There are also special hands that include a joker. The joker is counted as a fifth card in certain special hands. A joker can be a high or low card. If the last card in the hand is a joker, a player can discard up to four more cards.