Texas Holdem : The Rules
With it's use on all the major televised poker tournaments, the most popular poker game in the world is Texas Hold'em.
Texas Hold'em has three common varations of play :
- Limit Texas Hold'em - A specific betting limit is applied to every round of betting on every hand.
- Pot Limit Texas Hold'em - The most that can be bet at any given time is the total amount of the pot.
- No Limit Texas Hold'em - You can bet all your chips or go all-in at any time.
Winning : The winner of each hand is the player with the best poker hand using 5 out 7 cards available, in any combination. Uncalled hands also take the pot, meaning you place a bet and all other players fold. In Texas Hold'em, each players is dealt two down cards also reffered to as "pocket" or "hole" cards and five community cards (which are dealt face-up for everyone to use).
The rounds of a Texas Hold'em hand are as follows:
Step 1 : The Blinds - Before any cards are dealt two blind bets are placed to get things started. The small blind is placed by the player directely left (clockwise) of the player "on the button" or in dealer's position, followed by the big blind from that player's left.
Step 2 : The Pocket - Each player is dealt their hole cards one card at a time in a clockwise rotation starting directly left of the dealer. This is the only round of betting that does NOT end with the player on the button, it begins with the player directly left of the Big Blind, it is on this player to call the big blind, raise, or fold, followed by all other players taking similar action. In Limit Texas Hold'em only 1 bet and 3 raises are allowed per round of betting.
Step 3 : The Flop - The first 3 community cards are dealt face up on the table, and so begins the second round of betting. This round begins with the player left of the dealers position. This player can Check (stay in for free), Bet, or Fold. Proceeding in a clockwise rotation each player in turn checks (if there are no bets on the table), bets, raises (if there ARE bets on the table) or folds.
Step 4 : The Turn Card - Once all bets have been called from the flop the turn card (or "Fourth Street") is dealt face-up. Again the betting is started with the player left of the button. In Limit Texas Hold'em the betting amount doubles at 4th street.
Step 5 : The River - After all the action is over from the turn card, a fifth and final card is dealt face-up for the community (the river or "Fifth Street"). Once more betting insues begining left of the button.
Step 6 : The Winner - If all bets are not called the last player standing wins the pot and is not required to show their cards. If all bets are called at the river, then the player who has the best 5 card poker hand, using ANY of the 7 cards available to them (5 community and 2 pocket) is the winner.
HAVE FUN PLAYING!!
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