Generally, the goal of poker is to create the best hand possible. To do this, each player is dealt five cards, and these cards are ranked from Ace high to Ace low. Players use these cards to form their hand, and the best hand wins the pot.
If more than one player has the same type of hand, the highest card breaks ties. The higher card is the winner when two or more four of a kind are tied, or a pair is tied. The highest natural hand is a straight flush, which is five cards of the same suit. This is sometimes called a “Royal Flush.” A straight flush ace can be high or low.
A “backdoor flush” can be created by hitting a needed card on the turn or river. The ace-ace-7-4 is a counterfeit card. If the ace-ace-7-4 is the counterfeit card, it devalues the hand.
A draw is when a player uses all of his cards and then draws a new set of cards. This is a very common method of play in poker. Some games require players to draw their entire hand.
When drawing, a player has the option of a check or a raise. A check is a bet that the player does not want to fold, and a raise is a bet that the player wants to make. A raise is usually a small bet, usually around $1 or $5. Several players can raise in a draw. If a raise is made, all but one player is required to fold. If a player is all-in, that person is the only one who is eligible to win the pot.
Depending on the rules of the game, players can discard up to three cards. If all of the players have already discarded their cards, the player who has the highest card of the suit of the discarded cards is awarded the odd chip. The other chips are split as evenly as possible.
In order to win a pot in the final round of betting, a player must have the best hand. If there are callers in the final betting round, the hand will reach a showdown. This is the last round of betting, and when a showdown occurs, the winning hand is revealed. If a player does not have a pair of kings, for example, the player spreads a pair. This is a risky move, because if other players foul the hand, the player is likely to lose the pot.
If a player is all-in on a draw, the best hand wins the pot. If a draw is the best hand, the player takes the pot, but the other players remain in the race for the top spot. If a draw is not the best hand, the remaining players are placed in a side pot. This is a separate pot that is created by the additional bets of the players who are still in the game.