How to play Texas Hold ?em

Posted by kNox on August 12th, 2010

Texas Hold ?em is quite possibly the most wide spread poker game in both the online and offline worlds. Its great success comes both from the nature of the game, which appeals to both professional players and beginners, and from its fame ? in 2003, Chris Moneymaker became famous by winning the World Series of Poker Main Event in a Texas Hold ?em game. He qualified to the event from a online satellite, and he managed to cash in millions of dollars. From then on, everybody started playing Texas Hold ?em. Here?s how to do it:

In the beginning, the dealer (or it can be one of the players, if the game isn?t played online or at a casino) deals two cards to each player, face down. The players look at their own cards and a betting round starts. Players look at their own cards, and based on their value, or their strategy, they place a bet.

After that initial betting round, three cards are turned face up on the table (these are called the community cards). This round is called the flop. Players can use their cards and the community cards to make a poker hand, as high as possible. After the flop, another betting round follows.

Then, the dealer turns another community card face up on the table. This round is called the turn. Again, another betting round follows.

Then, one last community card is turned face up. This is called the river. After this round, another, final betting round follows. After players have placed their bets, they turn their cards face up and see which has the highest made poker hand (this is called the showdown). The player holding the largest hand wins the pot.

After each betting round, the game only advances to the next round if there are at least two players still in the game. If there is only one player left, he is the one that wins the pot. Any player who has folded at any point cannot claim the pot.

Players take turn in betting, and the turn moves clockwise around the table. In each round, there is one player that plays the role of a dealer (in more casual games, he actually deals the cards). He is represented by a ?D? button, and the name of this position is, naturally, the button. To the left of the button there are two players who are forced to place a bet in each round. These are called the ?blinds?. The first player to the left of the button is the Small Blind, and the second is the Big Blind. In / games, for instance, is the small blind and is the big blind. The button and blinds also move clockwise after each hand.