Poker is an old game with several variations. In some versions, the highest hand wins. In others, the lowest hand loses. If there is a tie between two players, the odd chips will be given to the player with the highest hand. However, there is one exception to this rule: if two players have equal hands, the odd chips will be given to the player with the higher card in each suit. This rule is not a legal exception, and is not applicable to every game.
While the game of poker may have originated in the ancient world, it is not well-known where it first started. Some sources attribute its modern name to Persian game as nas, and it is thought that the Persians taught it to French settlers in New Orleans. Other games of poker are considered to have originated from the same region as poker, including primero, brelan, and razz. The English game brag is also thought to have been influenced by poker.
A pair in Poker refers to two cards of the same rank. It is a better hand than two pairs of the same rank. A pair can consist of any five cards, but the higher pair wins. In a match-up, the higher pair beats the lower one. Therefore, a J-J-2-2-4 beats a ten-to-eight-three-five-five-two-four. If the two pairs are equal in rank, the lower pair is compared to the higher pair.