Poker is not as complicated as most people would think. In fact, by just learning the card values and the moves that make it unique among other card games, you will soon find yourself hooked to it and thriving in no time. Of course, like many other skills, poker requires an ample amount of practice and somehow trusting your intuition or gut feelings, but it is not something limited to the learned or the elite.

All that poker requires aside from its players is a full deck of cards. That's 52 pieces comprising of the four suits: clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds. The highest cards would have to be the Ace, King, Queen and Jack. Other numerical values that are in the other cards go directly below Jack. There is no difference in value depending on suit. An Ace of Hearts is the same as the Ace of Spades and it follows with all the other cards in the deck.

Each player will be given five cards. The objective is to be able to create a combination that will rank high as opposed to other players. The highest combination of cards would be the Royal Flush, which is composed of all the high cards (Jack, King, Queen, Ace) and 10 of the same suit. You could have a Royal Flush in diamonds, spades, clubs and hearts.

You can also opt for straight flush if you have not been dealt with a royal hand. This is composed of 5 cards in numerical order with the same suit. If in case everyone gives out a straight flush out of their cards, the highest value will be given to the straight flush with highest numerical value. A straight flush of 6-7-8-9-10 in any suit would be higher than a straight flush of 3-4-5-6-7.

Below the ranking of flushes would be the four of a kind hand. This is composed of the same numerical value in different suits. For example, for a four of a kind hand of the number 5, you will have to give out all the 5 cards in the standard deck of cards.

Full house also comprises of the 5 highest cards in proper order but not necessarily with the same suit. This is directly below the previously mentioned card combinations. Flush, on the other hand, is like a straight flush but it does not have to have the same suit.

When the hand you have been dealt does not fit in any of the mentioned card combinations, you can also make combinations such as Three of Kind (three cards with same numerical value but different suits), Two Pair (two pairs of numbers), One Pair and a High Card, but these are the lowest combinations you can do in Poker.

Now that the card values have been settled, the next step is to determine the betting limit among players. This is mutually decided upon at the beginning of the game so that there will be shortages along the game and keep it all in good spirits. Each player places an ante at the beginning of the game to serve as winning capital. The dealer will always be the last player, and usually, it's the player to the left of the dealer who bets first.

In the first betting round, there is an option to ?open? (make the first bet) or to ?check? (not open the bet without quitting the game). When someone finally does ?open?, you have the option to ?see? (match their bet), ?raise? (see previously given bet and increase it), ?fold? (give up your bet and willingly lose the game).

After all players have given their options, a new round begins. They are all given the option to get rid of 3 useless cards and replace it with 3 new ones from the deck. The game ends only when there are no more raises or there is only one player left who didn't fold. The cards are finally turned up and the one with the highest card combination wins the game.

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