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Texas Hold 'em

Doyle Brunson described Texas Hold 'em as the Cadillac of Poker. It may not have power steering or air conditioning but it is the most popular poker game today. The rules can be taught in minutes but to truly learn the game takes years. Here is a quick and simple explanation of the game and an animated demonstration of a hand.

 

Short Explanation

Blinds are posted. Each player gets a hand of two cards. A betting round occurs. Three community cards, the flop, are dealt to the middle of the table. A betting round occurs. One more community card, the turn, is dealt to the board. A betting round occurs. A final card, the river, giving a total of 5 community cards on the table. A final betting round occurs. The players then use the 5 community cards and their own 2 card hand to make the best possible poker hand. The best hand wins the pot.

Here is a sample hand:

 

Long explanation

Posting the blinds and Dealing the cards: Texas Hold'em is a community card game played by 2 or usually a maximum of 10 players. The hand begins when the button is moved to the new dealer. Then the small blind is posted by the player to the dealers immediate left. The small blind is usually equal to half the small bet. Then the next player post the big blind which is equal to a small bet. (These forced bet provides the initial pot for the players.) Often any new players will also be required to also post a blind equal to the big blind. Once the blinds are posted the hands are dealt, Starting with the small blind around to the left until each player has 2 cards, often referred to as pockets.

The first betting round: After the initial hands are dealt the first round of betting begins. For the first round only the player to the left of the big blind will act first. He has the option to; fold (drop out of the hand,) call the big blind. or raise an amount equal to the big blind. After he acts each subsequent player, to the left, has the action. They also must select an option. Any who wish to remain in the hand must call all previous bets, and raises or raise themselves. The action moves around the table to the small blind who must fold, or complete his blind to a full bet, and call any additional raises or raise himself. The last player to act on the first round is the big blind. If there have been no other raises, the big blind has the option to raise since his blind bet was forced. The betting continues around the table until all players remaining in the game have called all bets, and raises. In most poker rooms there is a maximum of 1 bet and 3 raises, a player will always be required to put in at least one small bet, but may be required to put in as many as 4 bets to see the flop.

The flop: When the pot is correct the dealer will deal the flop. The flop consists of 3 cards placed face up in the middle of the table. These 3 cards will be used by all remaining players with their pocket cards to make a traditional poker hand.

The second betting round: Once the flop is down the second round of betting begins. The first active player to the left of the dealer has first action. He may check, or bet. (There is no reason to fold since there is no bet to call.) The action continues to pass to the left until a player bets, then each subsequent player must; fold, call the bet, or raise. The action continues around the table back to any players that may have already checked, and the must fold, or call the bet and any additional raises. (If everyone checks, there is no action and the turn, the next card, will be dealt.) Once all of the active players have either folded or called the bet and any raises, the second betting round is over.

The turn: After the second round of betting the dealer will deal one additional card onto the board giving each player a total of 6 cards. The 4 community cards in the middle of the table and his own 2 card hand. Now with 6 of seven cards the active players should have a pretty good idea of what poker hand they might make with 1 last card.

The third betting round: The betting continues as before with the first active player to the dealer's left, and continues until all active players have folded or called all bets and raises.

The river: After the third betting round the dealer will deal the last card, the river, to the board. There are now 5 cards turned up in the middle of the hand. The players will use the 5 community cards and their 2 card hand to make the best possible poker hand. Now everyone knows exactly what hand they have.

The final betting round: Again the betting starts to the left of the dealer and continues around until all bets and raises are called.

The showdown: After all betting is complete, the player who made the bet, or last raise, should expose his hand, then players remaining in the hand will moving around the table to the left expose their hands. If a player cannot beat the hands already exposed, he may simply discard or muck his hand without revealing it. The highest poker hand wins the pot.

Here is a sample hand:

 

 



 

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