Texas Hold'em
Texas Hold'em is the most popular form of poker around the world and it is easy to learn, anyone can sit down at a table and learn the rules in a couple of minutes. But when you scratch the surface it becomes clear that Texas Hold'em is a highly complex and difficult game to master. There isn't an optimal way to play the game, instead there are many strategies a player can apply to become successful in Texas Hold'em.
Basic Concept
There are four betting rounds in Texas Hold'em and depending on the betting structure players can make different bets in any of the rounds. In fixed limit for example, players make small bets on the first two betting rounds and big bets on the last two betting rounds. So in a $2-$4 fixed limit game the players bet or raise $2 the first two rounds and $4 the last two rounds. In a no limit game a player can bet any amount up to what is left in front of him but no less than the minimum amount, which is either equal the big blind or if it's a raise equal to the amount bet by an earlier positioned player. Texas Hold'em is a community card game, which means that there are community cards dealt open on the table that every player use to make the best possible five-card hand (poker hand). In Texas Hold'em there are five community cards dealt and two pocket-cards dealt to each player. The players combine their two pocket cards with the five community cards to make the best possible five-card hand, the player with the best hand wins the pot. A player may also win the pot right away by making all the other players fold (bluffing).
Our editors has choosen these online poker rooms as examples of good places to play Texas Hold'em:
Party Poker
24h Poker
Doyles Room
How a hand is played
The Blinds
The blinds are the two forced bets made by the two players to the immediate left of the dealer. The dealer is identified by a white round plate in front of him called the dealer button. To sit on that spot is called to be sitting on the button. The first player lays the small blind and the second player lays the big blind. The s?????a ?ยบ??mall blind is usually half the big blind. In a fixed limit game the big blind is the same amount as the small bet, which means that the game is already opened before the cards are dealt.
Pre-flop
When then blinds are out each player is dealt two cards faced down. The betting then commences. First out is the player to the left of the big blind, called "under the gun", he may fold, call or raise. The turn then moves clockwise to each player and the last to act pre-flop is the big blind that may check, call if the pot is raised or he may raise himself. The dealer then deals three community on the table called the flop.
The Flop
When the flop is out, players start the second betting round. First out is the player to the left of the dealer and the turn then moves clockwise to the last player, which is the player sitting on the button. All players have the option to do what is possible at the moment, they may check, call, bet, raise and fold. When all players have made their choice a fourth card is dealt. That is called the turn card.
The Turn
The third betting round starts and first is the player to the immediate left of the dealer. Like the previous betting round, turn moves clockwise and ends by the player on the button.
In a fixed limit game the bets are doubled on turn to make it twice as expensive to stay in.
When all players have made their move a fifth community card is dealt. That card is called the river.
The River
Betting advances as usual in clockwise order and with the big bet size for fixed limit games. When the player on the button has made his move there's a showdown between the players that are still in the pot. The best poker hand wins the pot. The dealer button moves one step to the left and a new hand may begin as soon as the blinds are out.
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