Whether you’re playing Texas Hold’em or Omaha, poker is a game where each player forms a hand from five cards. The aim is to make the best hand possible and win the pot. The winning hand is determined by the highest card in the hand.

The first betting round takes place before the flop. The second betting round takes place after the flop and a third takes place after the turn. All of the players call or fold, and the last betting round takes place when everyone has folded.

The pot is the total of all bets made by the players in one deal. The pot is divided equally in cases where players draw. After the third betting round, the betting is “capped” or limited. This means that the stake can’t be increased after seeing the initial cards. In some games, the stake is increased during a short number of raises. In other games, the stake is capped and raised when the number of raises exceeds a certain number.

A pair is two cards of equal rank. A pair is better than a straight if the cards are of different ranks. In cases where two pairs are of equal rank, the lowest odd card should be used to compare them.

A flush is five cards of the same suit. A straight is five cards in sequential order. In a tie, the highest card in a hand breaks the tie. In a straight, the ace can count either high or low.