Playing Texas Hold’em
How to play texas holde'em poker
A typical Hold’em game must include a dealer and two others, but will typically involve a dealer and around 10 players. Any method can be used to decide the dealer of the first hand as long as all players agree. The dealer is known as the button and this position is taken by the person on the buttons left after each game, ensuring that all players have the opportunity to play in this and other positions.
Before the hand starts the bets or blinds as they are known must be decided. Once the blinds are decided the player on the dealers left will add half the total of the blind to the pot known as the small blind and the player to their left will add the full amount of the blind known as the big blind to the pot. These are known as the forced bets and start the winning pot.
Once the forced bets are added into the pot the button deals a card face down to each player in turn until they have two cards each. These are known as the pocket cards or hole cards and are extremely important in determining how to proceed.
The player seated to the left of the player who placed the big blind begins the round of betting as they can either call by matching the big blind, fold by discarding their cards and taking no further part in the hand or they have the option to raise the big blind. Each player takes it in turn to make their decision. If any player decides to raise then all players who have acted must call the new amount on their next turn, whilst the players who have still to act must at least call the new amount. The round is finished when all players have acted and called the last raise.
The dealer will then throw away one card known as burning the card and will then deal three cards which he will turn face up. With these cards now displayed each player will be able to see how strong their hand is or could be as there will be a further two cards dealt. This will make a total of 5 cards that each player can use to make their strongest hand with their own two cards.
These first 3 cards are known as the Flop and after they are dealt another round of betting takes place starting with the person to the dealers left who is in the little blind position. Again the options are to call, fold or raise and the round is finished when all remaining players have either folded or called the last raise.
Once this is completed a further card is burned and the next card is dealt face up. This is the fourth of five cards and is known as the Turn. Another round of betting commences starting with the person next left to the dealer.
After the betting is completed a final card is burned and a final card known as the River is turned face up to complete the 5 “community” cards which all players can use to make the best possible poker hand. A final betting round starts and then a showdown occurs as players either show their hands or fold their hand.
The winner is the player with the best standard poker hand made from their two pocket cards and the five community cards. This simplifies the game of Texas Hold’em, but you must always make sure you understand the rules of the game you join, as many variations of the game exist.
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Posted by georgestam – 20 Oct 2007, 1:21 PM
Thanks for this, straightened a few things out with my friends