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The Basics of Poker

Poker

A player’s hand turns face up after the final betting round. The hand reaches a showdown if one of the players who has been dealt a jack or a pair of aces calls an opponent’s bet or is all-in before the last betting round. A side pot is created in addition to the main pot and is made up of money bet by the remaining players. There are several types of side pots, and an all-in player only wins the pot he contributed to.

In a standard game of poker, each player is dealt a number of cards. These cards may be dealt face-up or down. In a cash game, players use cash instead of poker chips. They check the pot during each betting round and must raise to remain in the game. Once a player’s bet reaches its minimum amount, they must “call” another player’s raise in order to continue playing. Poker hands are derived over the course of many betting rounds.

In some variants, betting intervals are set in order to facilitate the game. Each player has the privilege or obligation to place a bet, and each player must place a certain number of chips in the pot equal to the contribution of the previous player. The player who puts his chips in the pot is said to be an “active player.”