During the first round of dealing, every player receives one card face down. The token is passed clockwise to the next player in the rotation.
The highest card gives a lot of information about the hand. For instance, it tells the player the value of the hand.
The highest card in a hand can break a tie when there are several players who all have the same card. In addition, the card might be high or low. In some games, the ace might be treated as the lowest card.
There are two hidden “hole” cards. These are used with the community cards. The first is a “straight flush” which starts with the highest value card.
The second is a “straight.” A straight is five cards of the same suit. A straight flush is usually the best natural hand. The other is the “Royal Flush.” A Royal Flush is a straight flush with an ace high.
A hand with an ace high is considered the best if it can wrap around the K-A-2-3-4. It is not as good as a straight flush with a low card.
Depending on the game, players may have to contribute to the pot before the deal. Often, the house rules allow for double stakes for a short number of raises. In poker, a pot is won when a player makes a bet that no other player calls. A player who checks is said to stay in, but does not make a bet.