| Texas Hold'em Game Rules |
| Up
to 10 players can sit down to each hand of Texas Hold'em, more
than most poker games, and Texas Hold‘em usually has the
lowest limit games in the card-room. |
| In Brief |
| Put briefly, here’s how it goes: At the beginning of each
game each player is dealt two pocket cards face down with five community
cards dealt face up. The aim is to is to build the best hand possible
using any 5 of the 7 dealt cards, whether the combination is your
2 pocket cards and three table cards, one pocket card and four table
cards, or all five-table cards. How you work it doesn't matter -
any 5-card combination of seven cards counts. |
1. Two cards are dealt to each player face down (called pocket
cards).
2. 1st round of betting.
3. At this point the dealer may burn a card, to prevent stacking.
He then turns three community cards face-up (the flop).
4. 2nd round of betting.
5. The dealer may burn a second card. He then turns over another
community card (the turn, 4th street).
6. 3rd round of betting.
7. The dealer may burn yet another card and then turns over 1 final
community card (the river, 5th street).
8. Last round of betting.
9. Every remaining player shows hand with better showing first (the
showdown). |
| The Dealer Button |
| The first thing to get acquainted with is the button – a
disc used to identify the dealer. After each hand is completed the
dealer button moves to the next player on the left, indicating the
new dealer position. The button also determines the order of betting. |
| The Blinds |
| Because in Texas Hold’em there is no ante, the two players
to the left of the dealer and the button have to post blind bets.
A Blind is a forced live bet made before any cards are dealt and
is used to seed the pot with cash. As the button moves around the
table, everyone takes their turn playing the blinds. No one is exempt
from the blind and there are various rules governing players joining
and leaving the table. |
| Typically: when you first take a seat at an active table you will
be required to post the equivalent of the big-blind. This can be
down by waiting until you are in a position to post it. Or, another
way would be to post it out of position. If you choose to post it
out of the big-blind position, you will also be required to post
the blind when you are in position if you are to stay in the game. |
| If you missed the regular rotation of the blinds, you’d have
to post the big-blind if you wanted to re-enter the game. If you
sat out and missed three big-blinds, you’d be picked up from
the table and would forfeit your seat. |
| The Small-Blind & The Big-Blind |
| The player immediately to the left of the dealer button must post
what is called the ‘small-blind’, which is equal to half
of the minimum bet (e.g. $5 for a $10-20 game). |
| The next player (sitting to the left of the small blind) must post
the ‘big-blind’, which is equal to the amount of the
minimum bet (e.g. $10 for a $10-20 game). |
| The blind bets are called live, because they count as real money
bets and are part of the first betting round. When the betting comes
round to them, the players who posted the blinds have the options
of folding, checking, calling, or raising. |
| Pocket Cards |
| Once the blinds have been posted, the first round of cards is dealt
clockwise. Each player is dealt two cards face down. These cards
are called the ‘pocket’ cards. Each player can see their
own pocket cards, then the first round of betting takes place. |
| Betting |
| Starting with the player immediately to the left of the big blind,
(remember the small and big blinds have already made their bet) the
first round of betting continues clockwise round the table. |
| The first player must either fold, bet the minimum bet, raise,
or check. Then the next player must either fold, call the current
bet, raise, or check (if no bets have been made). This continues
until all players have bet the same amount of money. The big blind
has the privilege of last action and may check, or raise the bet. |
| In limit Texas Hold'em poker, the lower limit is used for the first
2 rounds of betting and the higher limit for the second 2 rounds.
For example, at a £5/£10 table, bets are £5 in
the first two rounds and £10 in the last two. |
| The bet amount can climb a maximum of 3 times in each round of
betting. In other words, there can be one bet and three raises in
each round until the River card is dealt when there will be no limit
to the amount of raises possible. |
| The Flop |
| After all bets are equal, three cards are dealt face up in the
middle of the table. These cards are called the Flop. All three cards
are community cards and can be used by all the players at the table
to make up their best possible hand. |
| After the flop, there is a second round of betting, which begins
with the player in the small-blind position immediately to the left
of the dealer button. All subsequent rounds of betting begin with
the player to left of the dealer button. |
| The Turn |
| Next, after the betting is equal, a fourth community card is dealt
face up in the middle of the table next to the flop cards. This card
is called the Turn Card and can also be used by all players. The
Turn is followed by a third round of betting. |
| The River |
| After the Turn round, the fifth and last card, which is called
the River is dealt face up next to the other four community cards
and a final round of betting takes place. |
| The Showdown |
| Once all betting is completed, players still in the hand show their
cards. The first person to reveal their cards is the last person
to show strength with a bet or raise. Any combination of pocket cards
and community cards may be used to make the best five-card poker
hand. The winning poker hand is awarded the pot. |
| Should multiple hands tie, the pot is split with any odd amount
going to the player immediately to the left of the dealer. |
| Start Again |
| After a hand is completed and the pot taken by the winner, the
dealer button is moved one player to the left and a new hand begins. |
