In poker, there are three ways to win: raising your bet, folding, and calling. During the betting round, you should check your hand before you call. The probability of improving your hand is calculated as a percentage. In many variants, players must put money down before the game begins, which is called a buy-in. The amount of money a player puts down will determine the size of the pot. Betting rounds will continue until all players have called or folded.

The high card is worth a lot when no combination can be made. The second highest card will break ties. Similarly, a pair is formed when two of the same cards are held in a single hand. A pair is a winning hand if more than one player has a pair. A straight is a five-card hand that beats a pair. If two players have a straight, the highest-ranked hand wins the pot.

In a typical game, each player must make a bet equal to the last bet or raise. If a player bets $10, and someone to his left calls with $10, the caller must bet the same amount to get a piece of the pot. However, it is not uncommon for a player to make several bets during the course of a poker session. For example, if a player to his left or right raises a bet, he must call.