When playing poker, it is important to understand that the poker hand you hold, how well you bet and how well you bluff will ultimately determine if you will win or lose that hand. Before you can play the game with competence, you will need to understand the card suits and ranks, as well as what makes a good poker hand.

Suits of cards for example are the clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. This information is imperative to how you will play any of the hands that you are dealt. It is important also to understand the value of a given card. Cards increase in value according to their number or face, they will increase from 2 to 10 J, Q, K and A.

You will also need to learn what cards make a winning hand and what doesnt make a play at all. The most common hands in order of importance are: One pair (any matching set of numbers, regardless of suit) Two pair (any 2 matching sets of numbers, regardless of suit) Three of a kind (any 3 matching numbers, regardless of suit) Straight (any 5 cards in numerical sequence, regardless of suit) Flush (any 5 cards not in numerical order, of same suit) Full house (any 3 of a kind and 2 of a kind in same hand, regardless of suit) Four of a kind (any 4 matching set of numbers, regardless of suit) Straight flush (any 5 numerical order of cards, of same suit) Royal flush (contains the 10, J, Q, K, A of same suit)

With any hand beating the hand that is placed before it on this list. Therefore, a Royal flush will win over any other hand that is dealt to the table.

While you are working on mastering these poker hand rules, you may also be faced with a game that calls for wild cards. This could be aces wild, or whatever card the dealer chooses. The point of this rule is that the wild card is available to become the value of whatever card, giving a greater possibility of obtaining a straight flush (or five of a kind).

Generally, a hand that uses a wild card is considered the best hand, but the dealer can choose to have it second to a royal flush; either way the dealer decides and must indicate the choice before the poker hand is dealt.

These are the basic poker hands that you will need to know to play an effective round with any level of player. It is best to memorize this list so that you dont forget what a winning hand is when you get to the table.