In some variations of the game, blind bets are required before the first round of cards are dealt. These bets are made by players in one of two positions – to the left of the dealer and two seats to the left. Blind bets rotate around the table each round, and each player takes a turn making them. If a player has a weak hand, he can bluff – raising his bets or calling the blind bet.
The highest card wins the pot, and the next highest card breaks ties. Other common combinations are a pair and straight, although these can be rarer. The pair is formed when all five cards of the same suit are in the same hand. A pair of higher cards wins when more than one player has two pairs. One pair is a hand consisting of two cards of the same rank, and a straight is a five-card hand with the highest value.
When the dealer reveals five cards, all players have seven cards total. This includes two personal cards and five community cards. Depending on the level of the game, you can bluff and win with a bad hand if your bluffing is successful. Otherwise, check and fold. If you have a strong hand, it’s best to bet to force out weaker players and increase the pot value. In a professional game, this does not happen, but it’s still worth a look.