In a traditional poker game, a player is in the “first to act” position when a hand is dealt to him. The player in this position is placed to the left of the big blind and the “button” for subsequent betting rounds. The player in this position has the highest odds of winning the hand.

While the game is largely a game of chance, it can be considered a skill game once betting and psychology enter the picture. This primer is meant to be an introduction to the rules of the game, and further information can be found in books. However, it is often more advantageous to play poker with a group of people who already know the ins and outs of the game.

When two cards have the same rank, a pair is formed. When there are two pairs of the same rank, a higher pair wins. This is because J-J-2-2-4 beats a pair of 10-10-9-8. The same rule applies if higher and lower pairs are equal. Otherwise, the lower pair is compared.

A player who wishes to remain in a hand without betting must call a bet made by another player or raise it himself. This practice is called sandbagging and is allowed in poker until it is prohibited.