Four Of A Kind:
Four cards of the same rank, with one other card. If two players have Four Of A Kind, the highest Four wins. If both share the same Four, the highest odd card wins.

Full House:
Three cards of the same rank, with a pair of a different rank. In the event of a tie, the highest set of three wins.

Flush:
Five non-conscutive cards, all of the same suit. When there is a draw, the highest untied top card wins.

Straight:
Five consecutively ranked cards, not all of the same suit. Highest card wins. Ace can be both high and low.

Three Of A Kind:
Three cards of the same rank, with two non-matching cards. The highest set of three wins, then the highest untied off card, in the event of a draw.

Two Pairs:
Two cards of the same rank, with another two matching cards, different to the first pair, with an off card. The highest untied pair wins, followed by the off card.

Pair:
A pair of cards with the same rank. Highest pair wins, followed by the highest untied off card.

High Card:
The worst hand you can have, unfortunately. If you can't make any other hand, the highest untied card wins.

Texas Hold'Em
As the most popular form of poker, we will use Texas Hold'Em as the example game. For details of the differences between the different types of game, see Games and Tournaments.

The game starts with each player being dealt two cards (their 'Hole Cards'). Each player can see their two cards only. Five cards will eventually be displayed in the middle (the 'River Cards'). These are the community cards, which each player can use to create their hand. The dealer is marked with a 'D' icon. Betting starts from the person to the left of the dealer and continues clockwise around the table. It is split into 4 rounds. After these four rounds, those players that have not folded will see a showdown, and the highest hand wins.

Order of Play

Blinds:
Before play begins, the player to the left of the dealer posts a small blind. The player to their left then posts a big blind. This is so that there is money in the pot before the game commences.

Hole Cards:
Each player is dealt two cards that only they can see.

Betting Round:
Each player takes it in turn to either call, raise or fold. To call is to match any outstanding bets by other players. Calling a bet of zero is called 'check'. Raising is where you bet more than the current bet (particularly if you have confidence that you will win). A player folds by throwing in their cards. This means they do not want to call the current bet, because they believe they will lose at a showdown. When a player folds, they lose all the bets they have put into the pot so far. This betting round continues until all non-folded players have bet the same amount.

Flop:
Three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. These flop cards are the first part of the river or community cards, that all players can use to make their best hands.
Betting Round: A betting round, run in the same way as before.

4th Street:
Also called the turn card, this is a 4th community card, dealt face up in the middle of the table.
Betting Round

5th Street:
Also called the river card, this is the last community card, dealt face up in the middle of the table.
Betting Round

Showdown:
At this stage, those still in the pot reveal their cards and the highest hand wins or is divided if there is a tie. To make their hands, each player can use the best five cards out of all the community cards and their hole cards, combined.

In the case that 2 or more players have equally strong cards and it is a tie, the pot will be split. For example, if one player has 1D, 2S and another has 2D, 3H. River is QD QS KH KC KS, then both have a best hand of full house, Kings over queens, so the pot is split between them.

And that's about it. That is how to play Texas Hold'Em. It's a good place to start for all other types of poker, and it takes a long time to master. There is no single winning strategy, but look around the forums and see if anyone suggests a formula that works for you. Good Luck.