Foundations: the final exam
This poker basics quiz is the Block 1 final exam: 28 questions spanning how you win, the deck, hand rankings, position, the betting rounds, the five actions, showdown, and etiquette. No new material, just proof you own the foundations. Warm up first with the poker hand rankings chart if any rung of the ladder is still fuzzy.
What this exam covers
Every point below is from Block 1. If a question stumps you, note the topic and revisit that lesson before moving on to Block 2. This is a checkpoint, not a race.
The 60-second recap
You win a hand two ways: everyone else folds, or you show the best five-card hand at showdown. The deck is 52 cards, four suits, thirteen ranks. The hand rankings climb the same ten-rung ladder you drilled in Lesson 3 — the rarer the hand, the higher it sits. In Hold'em you make your best five from two hole cards and five community cards. The button marks the dealer, blinds post to its left, and action moves through preflop, flop, turn, and river. On your turn you fold, check, call, bet, or raise. Ties are broken by kickers; identical hands split the pot. Cash games use real chips you can leave with; tournaments use chips you cannot cash until you place.
- You win a pot two ways only: everyone folds, or you hold the best five cards at showdown.
- Master the ranking ladder and kicker rules first; almost every decision rests on them.
- Position, the betting rounds, and the five actions form the shared grammar of every Hold'em hand.
- If any question trips you, revisit that lesson before starting Block 2.
Test yourself
Answer them all — 23/28 to pass. Every answer gets an explanation.
What are the only two ways to win a pot in poker?
You win either when all opponents fold, or when your five-card hand is best at showdown.
How many cards are in a standard poker deck?
A standard deck has 52 cards; poker uses no jokers.
How many suits are in the deck, and how many ranks?
Four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) each hold thirteen ranks, ace down to two.
Which hand ranks highest?
A royal flush, ace-high straight flush of one suit, is the best possible hand.
Which is stronger, a flush or a straight?
A flush (five of one suit) outranks a straight (five in sequence).
Which is stronger, three of a kind or two pair?
Three of a kind beats two pair on the ranking ladder.
A full house consists of what?
A full house is three cards of one rank and two of another.
In Texas Hold'em, how many cards make your final hand?
You make the best five-card hand from your two hole cards and five community cards.
In Hold'em, how many hole cards does each player receive?
Each player is dealt exactly two private hole cards.
How many community cards are on the board by the river?
Three on the flop, one on the turn, and one on the river total five.
What does the dealer button mark?
The button marks the dealer position and acts last on every post-flop street.
Who posts the blinds?
The small blind and big blind sit immediately left of the button.
What is an ante?
An ante is a small forced contribution from players to build the pot before cards are dealt.
What are the four betting rounds in Hold'em, in order?
Betting proceeds preflop, then flop, then turn, then river.
How many cards come on the flop?
The flop reveals three community cards at once.
The turn and river each add how many cards?
The turn is the fourth community card and the river the fifth, one card apiece.
What are the five possible actions on your turn?
On your turn you may fold, check, call, bet, or raise.
When can you check?
Checking passes the action for free and is legal only when there is no bet to call.
What does it mean to call?
Calling means matching the current bet so you remain in the hand.
What distinguishes a raise from a bet?
You bet when no wager stands; you raise to increase a bet already made.
What is the showdown?
At showdown, players still in the hand turn up their cards and the best hand wins.
Two players both hold a pair of kings. What decides the winner?
With equal pairs, the highest side card, or kicker, breaks the tie.
Do suits rank against each other to break a tie in standard poker?
In standard poker no suit outranks another; identical hands split the pot.
Two players show truly identical five-card hands. What happens?
When hands are exactly equal in rank, the pot is divided equally.
A player holds A-K and the board is A-Q-7-4-2. What is their hand?
The single ace pairs the board ace, and the king plays as the top kicker.
What is a key difference between cash games and tournaments?
Cash chips equal real money at any time; tournament chips only pay out by finishing position.
What does it mean to muck your hand?
Mucking is surrendering or discarding cards face down, typically after folding or losing.
Which is good table etiquette?
Acting in turn, protecting your cards, and betting cleanly keep the game fair and orderly.
Review — all 28 questions & answers tap to expand
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What are the only two ways to win a pot in poker?
Answer Everyone else folds, or you show the best hand at showdown
You win either when all opponents fold, or when your five-card hand is best at showdown.
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How many cards are in a standard poker deck?
Answer 52
A standard deck has 52 cards; poker uses no jokers.
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How many suits are in the deck, and how many ranks?
Answer Four suits, thirteen ranks
Four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) each hold thirteen ranks, ace down to two.
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Which hand ranks highest?
Answer Royal flush
A royal flush, ace-high straight flush of one suit, is the best possible hand.
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Which is stronger, a flush or a straight?
Answer A flush
A flush (five of one suit) outranks a straight (five in sequence).
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Which is stronger, three of a kind or two pair?
Answer Three of a kind
Three of a kind beats two pair on the ranking ladder.
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A full house consists of what?
Answer Three of a kind plus a pair
A full house is three cards of one rank and two of another.
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In Texas Hold'em, how many cards make your final hand?
Answer Five
You make the best five-card hand from your two hole cards and five community cards.
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In Hold'em, how many hole cards does each player receive?
Answer Two
Each player is dealt exactly two private hole cards.
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How many community cards are on the board by the river?
Answer Five
Three on the flop, one on the turn, and one on the river total five.
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What does the dealer button mark?
Answer The nominal dealer and last to act after the flop
The button marks the dealer position and acts last on every post-flop street.
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Who posts the blinds?
Answer The two players to the left of the button
The small blind and big blind sit immediately left of the button.
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What is an ante?
Answer A forced bet all players post before the deal
An ante is a small forced contribution from players to build the pot before cards are dealt.
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What are the four betting rounds in Hold'em, in order?
Answer Preflop, flop, turn, river
Betting proceeds preflop, then flop, then turn, then river.
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How many cards come on the flop?
Answer Three
The flop reveals three community cards at once.
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The turn and river each add how many cards?
Answer One each
The turn is the fourth community card and the river the fifth, one card apiece.
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What are the five possible actions on your turn?
Answer Fold, check, call, bet, raise
On your turn you may fold, check, call, bet, or raise.
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When can you check?
Answer Only when no bet is facing you
Checking passes the action for free and is legal only when there is no bet to call.
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What does it mean to call?
Answer To match the current bet to stay in the hand
Calling means matching the current bet so you remain in the hand.
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What distinguishes a raise from a bet?
Answer A raise increases an existing bet; a bet opens when none exists
You bet when no wager stands; you raise to increase a bet already made.
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What is the showdown?
Answer When remaining players reveal their hands to determine the winner
At showdown, players still in the hand turn up their cards and the best hand wins.
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Two players both hold a pair of kings. What decides the winner?
Answer The highest kicker among their other cards
With equal pairs, the highest side card, or kicker, breaks the tie.
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Do suits rank against each other to break a tie in standard poker?
Answer No, suits have no ranking value
In standard poker no suit outranks another; identical hands split the pot.
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Two players show truly identical five-card hands. What happens?
Answer The pot is split evenly between them
When hands are exactly equal in rank, the pot is divided equally.
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A player holds A-K and the board is A-Q-7-4-2. What is their hand?
Answer A pair of aces with a king kicker
The single ace pairs the board ace, and the king plays as the top kicker.
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What is a key difference between cash games and tournaments?
Answer Cash chips have real cash value you can leave with; tournament chips cannot be cashed until you place
Cash chips equal real money at any time; tournament chips only pay out by finishing position.
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What does it mean to muck your hand?
Answer To discard your cards without showing them
Mucking is surrendering or discarding cards face down, typically after folding or losing.
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Which is good table etiquette?
Answer Waiting for your turn and keeping your cards visible on the table
Acting in turn, protecting your cards, and betting cleanly keep the game fair and orderly.