The game of poker has a complex history, but there are some common elements. In addition to the bluffing and misdirection spirit, the game has apocryphal origins. Perhaps the first version of poker in European history was the 17th century French game poque. It is the source of the word “poker” in the English language, and evolved into German pochen and a new version of primero. Later on, poker was brought to North America by French settlers.
The game of poker is played with poker chips, and the dealer will almost always supply the chips for the game. In games involving seven or more players, poker chips should be provided. A white chip represents the lowest value. A red chip, on the other hand, represents five whites. Generally, players “buy in” to a game by buying a chip of the same value. The dealer will then reveal five cards to all players. These cards are known as the flop.
A hand with five cards of the same rank is called a flush. If the other players have a four-of-a-kind, the higher-ranking hand wins. A high card outside of a four-of-a-kind breaks a tie. If no pair or two-of-a-kind is higher than the top card in the flush, then the high card wins. If no pair or higher hand wins, then a flush breaks the tie.