Before you start playing poker, you need to know how to evaluate your cards (hands). In order to do that, you must learn all poker combinations and the value of the cards. There are ten possible combinations you can get in poker (A combination of 5 cards). They are from the lowest to highest as follows:

1. The lowest combination is called high card – it may sound good, but it isn’t. High card means that you have five not related cards. In case tall players did not manage to form other combination, the winner is determined by the ranking of the cards. For example, A, K, 10, 7, 5 beats A, Q, 10, 8, 5 since A –K is higher than A – Q.
2. One pair is the next combination and it consists of 2 cards of the same rank and 3 not related cards. If two players have the same pair, the winner is determined by the cards which are not related.
3. Two pair is a combination consisting of 2 cards of one rank, 2 cards of another rank and one card which is not related. The higher rank determines the superior pair and the winner. In case two players have the same higher pair, the second pair ranking determines the winner. In case that these two players have the same two pairs, the winner is determined by the rank of the card which is not related. If they are also the same, the pot is to be split between the two players.
4. Three of a kind is a combination consisting of 3 cards of the same rank and 2 cards which are not related. It is also called set, triplets, or trips.
5. Straight is a hand which consists of 5 consecutive cards of mixed suits. For example, Q of hearts – J of spades – 10 of diamonds – 9 of diamonds – 8 of clubs (queen-high straight) will beat 10 of spades – 9 of spade – 8 of diamonds – 7 of spades – 6 of clubs (10-high straight).
6. Flush is a hand which consists of any 5 cards of the same suit which are not in sequence. If they were, the hand would be a straight flush. If two players managed to form a flush, the highest card ranking order determines the winner. For example, A-Q-J-7-6 of spades is higher than A-Q-J-5-4 of clubs;
7. Full house is a hand consisting of one three of a kind and one pair. The hand is also called full boat. The ranking of the triplets determine the full house. For instance, 10 of spades, 10 of hearts, 10 of clubs, 9 of diamonds and 9 of spades are to be called 10’s full of 9’s.
8. Four of a kind is a hand consisting of four cards of one rank and one not related card. For instance, Jack of spades, Jack of diamonds, Jack of clubs and Jack of hearts and 10 of spades. Four Queens beat four Jacks. The hand is also called quads.
9. Straight Flush is a hand consisting of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit such as 8, 9, 10, J, Q; 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 etc.
10. Royal flush is nothing but an ace high straight flush and it is considered the best poker hand since it is the highest. There are four possible royal flush combinations: 10, J, Q, K, A of any of the suits.

You usually fold in the following situations:

• When you have a weak hand;
• When a tight player has opened the game in early position, you fold even if you have a strong hand;
• When you believe that other players have stronger hands than yours;
• When there are too many players;
• When your hand is not strong enough, so you can’t call or check –raise;
• When the players are too many and you are in early position;
• When you do not intend to use bluffing strategy

You usually re -raise in the following situations:

• When you have calculated the odds (your odds) and compared to your opponents’ hands they are 2 to 1;
• When you want to convince your opponents that you are not very experienced, especially if you are actually an aggressive player;
• To make your opponent stop bluffing;
• When you have a strong hand and your opponent is an aggressive player who probably will re –raise;
• When you want to make experienced tight players to play passive with strong hands since that will decrease your loss.

You usually raise in the following situations:

• When you have a very strong combination and you want to increase the pot;
• When you want to make your opponent to check during the next betting i.e. to scare him;
• When you believe that in this way you will change the pot odds;
• When you have a strong hand and you are sure that other players won’t fold;
• When you are convinced your opponent is bluffing;
• When you decide to bluff with not that strong hand;
• When you intend to improve your hand during the next betting round and you want to make your opponents fold ( the players with higher combinations but not high enough to answer your raise) i.e. when you use semi-bluffing strategy;
• When you already managed to form a very strong hand such as straight, flush or full house;
• When you want to convince other players that you are a loose and aggressive player and you raise having not a very strong hand;
• When you need to understand what are the hands of your opponents i.e. to “read” their hands.