When you are playing poker, you should know the game’s rules. First, you must be aware of what kind of hand you are holding. When you are in the “nuts” position, you have the best possible hand at that moment. Other possible hands include a pair of trip sevens, a straight, or a flush with different suits. But, you must also remember not to reveal your hand to your friends or opponents. It’s against poker rules to reveal your hand to others, even if they’re close to you.

Second, you should understand how to play gutshot and open-ended straights. Gutshots are straights completed from the inside. For example, if you had pocket cards 5, 6 and a board card of 7, you would need a 7 on the river or turn to complete your straight. These are the opposite of open-ended straights, which are completed with any two cards from the outside. Gutshots are half as likely to hit as open-ended straights.

In each round of poker, there is a dealer who shuffles the deck and deals cards to players. A non-player may also be designated as the dealer for the entire game. In general, players take turns being the dealer, and each round, a new dealer is chosen. Each round, the dealer has a chip called a “blind” that identifies the current dealer and determines the player who plays first. It’s important to be aware of the dealer’s role in the game and what it means for the game.