During poker play, each player is dealt seven cards. These cards are placed face-up in rotation to the left of the table. The player to the dealer’s left has the first opportunity to make a bet. This is known as a raise.
The other players reveal their hands. The player with the highest card (the best hand) wins the pot.
The next phase involves a series of betting intervals. The first is between the first and second cards. The second involves the second and third cards.
The first ante is usually a small wager, though it may be required to contribute to the pot before the deal. The second ante is usually the same as the first, but it can also be more or less. The ante is the “buy in” to play in a round.
The other stipulation is that each player must put in a certain number of chips in the pot. These chips are usually round chips and are called tokens.
The ante is also the first of a series of steps that will lead to the final flop. The flop is a series of three cards. These cards are usually the same suit. If the flop has three different suits, it is an indication that no flush can be made.
The best straight is a set of five cards of the same suit. It starts with the highest value card and goes from there. A pair is two cards of equal rank.