How to play Texas Hold'em
Texas Hold’em is by far the most popular and
exciting form of poker available to players today. With the explosion
and success of major televised tournament events, No Limit Texas Hold’em
has become the player’s favorite type of poker.
Texas Hold’em, also known simply as Hold'em,
is a poker game in which each player receives two cards (hole cards) dealt
face down, while five community cards are dealt face up on the table throughout
four betting rounds. The object of the game is to win the pot that players
invest in by betting during the various rounds. All players play their
best five cards using any combination of their two hole cards and the
five community cards on the table. The best five-card poker hand among
those in contention for the pot wins.
How to Play Texas Hold'em
The Button
In Texas Hold'em, a disc known as the dealer “button”
serves to recognize which player sitting at the table is the dealer for
that particular hand. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction from
the dealer button. Each time the cards are dealt, a new betting round
begins. A Texas Hold'em hand starts when the first card is dealt and ends
when a winner is declared. After each hand has been completed, as with
standard poker rules, the “button” moves clockwise to the
next active player. This is done because there is an advantage to having
to act last and therefore each player will get his fair share of early,
late and middle positions. This player will be considered to be “playing
the button" for that hand.
Blinds
The player to the immediate left of the button is
first to receive a card and is required to post a “small blind”.
The small blind is equal to half the lower limit bet rounded down to the
nearest dollar (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the small blind is $2; in
a $3-$6 game, the small blind is $1. The player to the immediate left
of the small blind is required to post the “big blind”, equal
to the lower limit bet (For example, in a $3-$6 game, the big blind is
$3.). When a new player sits down at a Texas Hold'em poker game, he must
either post the equivalent of the big blind or wait for their turn in
the big blind. This prevents players from gaining an advantage by avoiding
the blinds and jumping in and out of games. If you have missed one or
both blinds, our software will prompt you if to put in the correct amount.
You can also wait for the blind to get to your position. This is called
coming in on the blind. Both blinds in Texas Hold’em poker are considered
live bets and therefore, according to poker rules, have the option of
checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action returns
to their position.
Betting Rounds
First Round (Pre-Flop) - After the Texas Hold'em
players in the blind positions put their blinds into the pot the dealer
deals two cards called “hole cards” to each player. At this
time each player can see his own cards but not those of his opponents.
After seeing their hole cards, players now have the option to play their
hands by calling, raising or folding. On the first round only, a player
cannot check (make no bet) and still retain his hand. On the first round
only, the betting starts with the first active player to the immediate
left of the big blind. The minimum bet in this round is the size of the
small blind. Thus in a $5/$10 No Limit Texas Hold'em game, it would cost
a minimum of $5 for the player who acts first to call in this initial
round of betting. (The maximum dollar value and number of raises per round
depends on version of Texas Hold’em being played as described below.)
Second Round (Flop) – Next, three cards are
dealt face-up on the board also known as the “flop”. These
three community cards are available to all active players. In this round
play begins with the first active player to the immediate left (clockwise)
of the dealer button, who has one of three choices, check, bet, or fold.
Until there is a bet, each succeeding active player has the same choices.
Once a bet is made, each succeeding Texas Hold'em player then has, in
turn, one of three choices; call, raise, or fold. Bets and raises occur
in lower limit bet increments. Therefore in a $5/$10 No Limit Texas Hold'em
game the bet would cost a minimum of $5.
Third Round (Turn) - When betting action is completed
for the flop round, the “turn” is dealt face-up on the board.
The turn is the fourth community card in a Texas Hold'em poker game. Play
once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise)
of the dealer button and the same rules apply as the second round except
that poker betting doubles from the lower limit bet to the higher limit
bet. In a $5/$10 game, betting on the turn is done in $10 increments.
Fourth Round (River) - When betting action is completed
for the turn round, the “river” is dealt face-up on the board.
The river is the fifth and final community card in a Texas Hold'em game.
Play once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise)
of the dealer button as explained above.
Showdown - When all the betting is done, and if more
than one player is still in for the pot, then the showdown determines
who wins the game of Texas Hold'em. In No Limit Texas Hold’em, it
is possible that one or more betting rounds not take place if only one
active player has any chips left with all other active players having
bet all their chips (all-in). When this occurs, any remaining community
cards will be dealt face up and a showdown will take place. The last player
to open with a bet or raise is required to show their cards first and
anyone else can fold. Players who elect to fold do not have to show their
cards. (i.e. muck his cards if he decides he has lost. However the hole
cards of all players who stay in to the showdown are included in the hand
history, even if they choose to muck). The player with the best five-card
hand wins the pot. In the event of identical hands, the pot will be equally
divided between the players with the best hands. Texas Hold'em rules state
that all suits are equal, so split pots are more common than in other
variations of poker.
There are three different types of Texas Hold’em Poker games,
made different by their betting structures
- No Limit: Players may bet all of their chips at
any time.
- Pot Limit: Players may bet an amount equal to
the pot size.
- Limit: Players may bet a fixed amount for each
round.
No Limit Texas Hold’em
In No Limit Texas Hold’em, the minimum amount
a player can bet must be equal or greater than the big blind and a raise
must equal or be greater then the last bet or raise within the same round.
There is no maximum amount to bet, a player may bet his entire stack at
any time. The number of raises is only limited to a player’s chips
total.
Pot Limit Texas Hold’em
In Pot Limit Texas Hold’em, the minimum amount
a player can raise must equal or be greater than the last bet or raise
within the same round. The maximum a player may bet is equal to the amount
in the pot including his call before making the raise. (Example; a player‘s
call is $5 and the pot is $20, he may raise to a maximum of $50. His call
of $5 brings the pot to $25 and he may raise the amount equal to the pot
of $25, thus the raise is $25.)
Limit Texas Hold’em
In Limit Texas Hold’em, players must bet a
pre-determined fixed amount per each round. The betting amount is equal
to the big blind for the first two rounds of betting and doubles up for
the last two rounds of betting. A maximum of 4 bets is allowed per round
which includes a bet and three raises. (Example; in a $5/$10 Limit Texas
Hold'em game, players must bet $5 and raise by $5 up to a maximum of $20
for the pre-flop and flop rounds, they must bet $10 and raise by $10 up
to a maximum of $40 for the turn and river round).
How to Play 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo
7 Card Stud Hi-Lo is a poker game that combines the
strategies and game play of 7 Card Stud and the possible split pot aspect
of Omaha Hi-Lo. The same 7 Card Stud rules apply to 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo
with the exception that the pot may be shared between a player holding
the high (Hi) hand and a player holding the qualifying low (Lo) hand.
A low hand must have a high card "8 or better" to qualify to
be the low hand. That is, to be eligible to win the low, the highest card
must be an 8 or lower. Upon a tie with the high card, the hand goes to
the player with the next lowest high card. Any hand that is high card
9 or higher cannot qualify as a low hand. In 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo the same
player can also win both pots for the Hi & Lo hand when there is no
qualifying low hand. The straight ace to five is the best possible low
hand with the straight four to eight being the worse possible qualifying
low hand. The ace can be used as a high and low card in 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo.
Straights and flushes are not considered when evaluating a low hand.
How to play 7 Card Stud Hi Lo
Betting Rounds
First Round – In 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo, a disc
known as the dealer “button” serves to recognize which player
sitting at the table is the dealer for that particular hand. After all
players have placed their ante they receive their initial cards. The cards
are dealt in a clockwise direction from the dealer button. Each player
is dealt three cards (two of them face down and one face up). The player
with the lowest face up card is known as the "bring-in" and
must make a wager of half the small blind. (For example, in a $4-$8 game,
the bring-in is $2). The other players then must decide to match this
amount beginning clockwise from the bring-in. If two players are tied
for the low card the card rankings are broken by suit, with the order
being spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs (in descending order).
Second Round (Fourth Street) – Next, each player
is dealt another face up card, known as “fourth street”. In
this round the first person to act is the player whose face up cards,
comprise the highest poker value. This player may either check or bet.
The bet amount is determined by the value of the face up cards on the
table. If there is no pair exposed then the amount will be the small bet
(For example, in a $4-$8 game, the bet is $4). However, if there is a
face up pair then the amount is the big bet ($8 in the previous example).
Third Round (Fifth Street) – Each player is
dealt a third face up card in this round, called “fifth street”.
Starting in this betting round and all subsequent betting rounds all wagers
are in the big bet amounts (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the bet is $8).
The first person to act is again the player whose face up cards, comprise
the highest poker value.
Fourth Round (Sixth Street) – Each player is
dealt a fourth face up card in this round, called “sixth street”.
Once again the first person to act is again the player whose face up cards,
comprise the highest poker value.
Fifth Round (Seventh Street) – Each player
is dealt a seventh card called “seventh street” or the “river”.
This last card is dealt face down. The first person to act on the river
is the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value.
Showdown – If more than one player remains
after the fifth round of betting is completed then there is a showdown
and the last player to bet shows their cards first. If no one acted then
the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value shows
their cards first. Players use five of their seven cards and the player
with the best five-card stud poker hand wins the pot. The highest hand
wins 50% of the pot and the lowest qualifying low hand wins 50% of the
pot. If no low hand qualifies then the highest hand wins the entire pot.
In the event of identical poker hands, the pot will be equally divided
between the players with the best hands. |
