Typically, poker is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. Some variant games add jokers or Wild Cards. The goal is to use your five cards to form the best hand possible.
The best possible hand is a straight flush, which is five cards in the same suit. This is a natural hand. If you don’t have a straight flush, the best possible hand is a trip sevens.
In poker, each player has an obligation to make the first bet. Once a player makes the first bet, all subsequent bets are directed toward the pot. If no one calls, the pot is won. The pot is the aggregate of all bets made by all players in a single deal. The pot is won by the player with the best hand.
A high card breaks ties. This is especially true in poker, where several people may tie for the highest card. Using a high card is a good way to get a break if several people are trying to break ties.
The high card also breaks ties if nobody has a pair. For example, if Brad has a pair of kings and Charley has a pair of diamonds, he is probably trying to make a straight. A pair of kings isn’t terrible, but it isn’t great either.
A “backdoor flush” is achieved by hitting the necessary cards on the turn and the river. This is the only time you can win a flush by using an ace as your high card.