Did you know that more than 40 million people worldwide play poker? This number is only expected to grow with the rise of online poker and more casinos in the United States.

With so many people playing, you need to find an edge to help you win. Read on to learn the basics of poker. Explore 5 poker basics that are certain to help you at the table.

1. How Many Cards Are Dealt to Each Player?

Each poker game begins with the dealer giving each player a certain number of cards. For most types of poker, the magic number is 5 cards.

However, there are some different variants of the game where 7 cards are dealt to each player. The good news is that you are not stuck with the cards that you are originally dealt.

Depending on the rules, you will have an opportunity to trade as many as 3 cards. The key is retaining the best combination of cards from your original hand.

2. What Are Common Poker Terms?

When you are at the poker table, you will hear players using lingo that may be unfamiliar to you. Do not be worried as we are here to explain what each term means.

Poker is a game where players wager their money or chips. When a player is dealt a bad hand or lacks confidence, he or she will fold their hand. This means they are cutting their losses and not wagering any more chips.

If a player gets a good hand, they will raise the stakes by increasing the wager. If another player raises the stakes, you call the other player by equaling their wager.

Lastly, you will frequently hear the term check. This means the player is passing without a wager.

This move can only be done if the prior players do not offer a wager either. You will see these terms frequently if you play online poker on a site.

3. What Are the Best Cards?

You can’t understand poker basics without knowing which cards are best. An ace is the best card, followed by the king, queen, and jack in that order.

The remainder of the cards are ranked by numerical order. A 10 card is the highest, while a 2 card is the lowest.

4. What is a Card Suit?

There are 4 different card suits in a traditional deck of cards. These suits are hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs.

Each suit is represented by a different symbol and color. Card suits are important for determining if you have a good hand or not.

5. What Are the Best Card Combinations?

There are many different card combinations in poker. If you are able to assemble all 5 cards in the same suit, it is called a flush.

Another powerful card combination is called a straight. This means that all 5 cards are in chronological order.

If your flush is in chronological order, it is called a straight flush. This card combination is better than a standalone flush or straight.

The best hand in poker is called a royal flush. All 5 cards are in chronological order and include an Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 of the same suit.

There are other good card combinations like 3 or 4 of a kind. This means you have multiples of the same card in several different suites. If you have 3 of a kind and a pair, it is called a full house.

Poker Basics – Wrapping It Up

Poker is a fun game with lots of dramatics. People getting really excited to place wagers and the games involve high stakes.

Now that you know the basics you are ready to play. If you enjoyed this article about poker basics, please check out our blog for other great pieces.