Poker is a game of chance where players are dealt cards and must choose which to hold, hoping to build the best hand possible. The game can be played with one, two, or three players.
In standard poker, each player receives five cards facedown. The player with the best hand (containing the highest card ranking) wins the round.
Rake is a term used in poker that refers to how often a player is given new cards. In most poker games, the dealer deals each player four cards face down, then turns over the fifth card – the “hole card” – which is always of higher rank than any other card.
The goal of a poker rake is to ensure that each player gets an equal number of new cards. A rake is illegal in Texas Hold’em because it can give an advantage to the player who gets new cards more often.
In Texas Hold’em, if a player has a better hand after receiving four new cards than their opponent does after receiving only three new cards (the “hole card”), then the player has received a “rake.” This is illegal because it gives the player an unfair advantage over their opponent.
