Texas Hold'em rules and strategy
Texas Hold'em is probably the most dramatic and popular varieties of poker in the world, and it seems like everywhere you turn there is another show, another website, or another article dedicated to the subject. It’s a community card game, where each player may use any combination of the 5 community cards and his own 2 hole cards to make a Poker hand.
A full Texas Hold'em table typically has nine or ten players; any less and the game may be referred to as short handed. To determine who begins the game a single card is dealt to each player; high card will be the first dealer. The dealer position is indicated by a white plastic chip referred to as the button, which is also what the dealer position is called, sometimes referred to as being on the button. After each round of play, sometimes called a hand, the dealer button rotates to the left, ensuring that everyone gets to play in this and all other positions.
Texas Hold'em Tutorial
Here you can learn how to play Texas Hold'em at the Best Poker School on the Net.
Texas Hold’em Rules
First the two players to the immediate left of the dealer post the small and the big blind. Then each player is dealt two holecards face down.
Then player to the left of the big blind starts acting and can either fold, call (pay the same amount as the big blind) or raise. This continues until all the players have had the chance to do the same. The Dealer then turns up three cards, face up, in the center of the table (a.k.a. the flop). These cards are called
community cards which are shared by all the players. Then the first remaining player (some players may have
folded before the flop) to the left of the dealer starts a new round of action.
When all players have acted, the 4th community card is put on the table and another round of
betting takes place.
Then the 5th and final community card is dealt and the last betting round follows.
When the last bets have been made the remaining players show their hands (the showdown) and the player
with the best hand wins the pot. If two or more players have the same hand (for instance, the same straight)
the pot is split equally between if, at any point in the hand, somebody makes a bet and all the other players fold, he wins the pot and does
not have to show his cards. Once each hand is concluded it starts all over again, with the exception that the
dealer is now the player that had the small blind in the previous hand. The player that had the big blind now
has the small blind and so forth.
Hand Rankings
the winning hand is always determined by the best Five card hand. Aces count as the highest card (14)
but may be counted as 1 in a straight 5-4-3-2-A.
Royal Flush. Ace-King-Queen-Jack-Ten in the same suit. If two or more players show Royal Flushes, the
hands are tied and the pot is split.
Straight Flush. Five consecutive cards of the same suit, where the top card is not an Ace. Ties between
two or more Straight Flushes are broken by the highest card. If the Straight Flushes are equal in rank,
the pot is split.
Four of a Kind. Four cards of the same rank. Ties are broken by the highest Four of a Kind and then,
if necessary, by the highest fifth card (the 'kicker'). If all five cards are equal in rank, the pot is split.
Full House. Three cards of one rank (Three of a Kind) and two cards of another rank (a Pair). Ties are
broken by the highest Three of a Kind, then by the highest Pair. If all five cards are equal in rank, the
pot is split.
Flush. Five cards of the same suit, but not in consecutive order. Ties are broken by the highest card/s in
order. If all five cards are equal in rank, the pot is split.
Straight. Five cards in consecutive order, but not all of the same suit. Ties are broken by the highest card.
If two or more straights are equal in rank, the pot is split.
Three of a Kind. Three cards of the same rank and two odd cards ('kickers'). Ties are broken by the
highest Three of a Kind, then by the highest kicker/s in order. If all five cards are equal in rank, the
pot is split.
Two Pair. Two cards of the same rank, two cards of another rank and a fifth, odd card ('kicker'). Ties are
broken by the highest Pair, then by the second Pair, then by the highest kicker. If all five cards are equal
in rank, the pot is split.
One Pair. Two cards of the same rank and three odd cards ('kicker'). Ties are broken by the highest Pair,
then by the highest kicker/s in order. If all five cards are equal in rank, the pot is split.
No Pair (High Cards). Five non-consecutive cards of different ranks and suits. Ties are broken by the
highest card/s in order. If all five cards are equal in rank, the pot is split. If there is an odd (25 cent)
chip in a split pot, it goes to the winner player to the left of the dealer.
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