Rules of Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em has become the most popular poker game. Online poker rooms and poker rooms all over the world offer Texas Hold’em. Often it is the only game available, especially live. Texas Hold’em is played as limit, no limit and pot limit.

Action

In all variations of Texas Hold’em players post antes, known as blinds, are paid by the two players to the left of the dealer’s button. The first player pays what is called the small blind which is half of the amount that other players will have to call to see the flop. If there are no raises the small blind must double his bet to see the flop. The big blind puts up the amount equal to the amount other players will have to pay to see the flop.

After the blinds are posted the dealer deals two cards out to all players seated at the table. The action will begin on the player to the left of the big blind. This player is known as under the gun. The player can either match the big blind bet, raise or fold. After the each player has acted around to the big blind or all raises have been called there is a flop.

Flop

The flop consists of three cards. In live games there is a card discarded, also known as burned, by the dealer. After the flop is dealt the first player still in the hand to the left of the button can either check or bet. The action will go around the table until somebody bets. If nobody bets then all players get to see the next card for free. If a player bets and all players fold then the betting player wins the hand and a new hand is dealt. If a player calls then there will be a turn card dealt. Players may also check and raise, in that case the action will go back around the table.

Turn

If there are still at least two players in the hand then the turn is dealt. The turn is one card dealt to the right of the flop. The action is the same as the flop. In live poker a card is burned just like on the flop. The player to the left of the dealer’s button starts the action and all players left in the hand have a chance to bet or check. If a player bets then the remaining players must call, raise or fold.

River

The river is the last card dealt in the board. It is dealt to the right of the turn. Just as on the flop and turn the player to the left of the button acts first. Players may check or bet. If a player bets all players wanting to try to win the pot must call any bet. If all players check or there is a bet and at least one player calls there is a showdown.

Showdown

If a player bet the river then he is the first to show his hand. If the river was checked then the player to the left of the button shows his hand first. After all hands are shown or folded, also known as mucked, then the best hand or only hand shown is the winner. If more than one hand is shown the best five card hand out of the seven cards available (the five card board plus player’s hole cards) is declared the winner. Players may use zero, one or two of their hole cards to make their best hand. In some cases there will be two or more hands that tie. In that case the pot will be split between all hands that tied. Just like in any poker game if a player bets and does not get called by any player then the player is immediately pushed the pot and a new hand is dealt.

Rake

Online poker rooms usually take 5% up to $3 from the pot. Live poker rooms usually take 10% up to $4 or $5. Your rakeback is based on the amount of rake the house takes out of the pot. The rake is usually seen to the dealer’s right. Online you can either hover over the pot or the rake box to see how much rake was taken during a hand.