Whether you’re a poker aficionado or you just want to try a new game, there are several different versions of the game. You can play poker on your own or as part of a group. There are a few different strategies to consider when playing, and a few different rules.

The first time you play poker, you are given a “starting hand.” The dealer deals cards to each player one at a time. Each card is either face up or face down.

The next step is to place your chips into the pot. The pot is the total amount of money that has been bet on the game. If no one else calls, the pot is won. You can win the pot by betting the minimum, bluffing your opponent or making a bet that no other player has called.

The most impressive poker hand is a five of a kind. This is a combination of five cards of one rank and two of another rank. It may be a pair of aces, or two queens or four 10s.

The other most impressive hand is the straight. It’s made up of five consecutive cards of the same suit. It can be a high card, a flush, or a full house. It can be made with a wild card.

The game has a history. Some historians believe it was passed along to French settlers in New Orleans by Persian sailors. Other researchers have found a similar game in Germany. Regardless of the origin, the word poker likely comes from the German pochen, a slang term for a card game.