In poker, it is important to understand how to play hands that are the most appropriate for your range. There are several factors that influence this decision, including position, multiway pots, percentages, and more. Depending on the situation, you may be better off using different ranges for different situations. For example, you may use the same hand in a passive situation and a different one in an aggressive situation.

The first betting phase is based on the Ante. In this phase, players put a nickel into the pot and then are dealt 5 cards. This phase lasts until all players have checked, folded, or called. If all players call, the round ends and the winning player gets the pot. In a seven-card stud game, the player with the highest hand wins.

If the game has more than seven players, it is recommended to have at least 200 chips in the game. Each chip represents money, and the higher your chip count, the higher your payout. You can add more money to the pot if you want, but you cannot cash out your chips until the game is over. If you win the game, you may want to split the pot with the other players.

Different variations of the game use different types of cards, but they all have some common elements. For instance, most games use a standard deck of 52 cards, while some include a joker or two. In general, poker cards are ranked Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and other symbols. The suits are high, low, or mixed. All five of these are called hands, and the highest hand wins.