Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Rules
Texas Hold ‘em poker is the most popular form of poker today. It is a comparatively simple style of poker to learn, but still provides great depth in terms of enjoyment and strategy. The following is an introduction to the basic form of Texas Hold ‘em that is played most commonly today. It is not a strategy guide, but an explanation of how the game is played.
The Button
In Texas Hold ‘em poker, the button is any marker that keeps track of who is dealing. When you play online or at a casino, the dealer will be either a computer or a professional dealer respectively, but a “button” is still used to keep track of where the dealer would theoretically be, since all the poker action takes place in relation to the dealer. The button moves clockwise around the table after each hand, and the player with the button (also known as the player “on the button” or the “button player”) gets his cards last and also bets last in each round of betting other than the “pre-flop” round.
The Blinds and Antes
To create an incentive to play hands, Texas Hold ‘em poker uses compulsory blind bets or “blinds”. The first 2 players to the left of the button are required to put in the blind bets. Usually the first player to the left of the button puts in the small blind, while the second player puts in the big blind. The size of the blinds will depend on the size of game that you are playing, however the small blind is ordinarily half the size of the big blind. For example in a game of $1/$2 limits, the small blind would be $1 and the big blind would be $2.
Texas Hold ’em cash games generally have no antes, but the late stages of a tournament often do. An ante is a compulsory bet that must be made by every player on the table before the cards are dealt. This ante is in addition to the small and big blind (so if you were in the big blind position, you would put in an ante as well as your big blind).
Dealing and Betting
Starting with the first player to the left of the dealer button, each player is dealt 2 cards face down. These cards are called “pocket cards” or “hole cards”. The first two players to the left of the button “post” the blinds (which means they pay the blinds), and then the first round of betting begins. The first action after the cards are dealt is taken by the person to the left of the big blind. He can choose either to call the big blinds compulsory bet, fold his hand, or raise. After he has made one of those three actions, the next player is allowed to act, using one of the same three actions: call, fold, or raise. In Texas Hold ‘em poker, both blinds are “live”, which means that in the first round of betting (know as “pre-flop”), they get a chance to call, check or raise when the action gets to them. In the pre-flop round of betting, the big blind is the last person to act.
The Flop
After the first round of betting is completed, the “flop” takes place. The flop consists of the dealer laying 3 cards face up in the middle of the table. These cards serve as common or community cards, meaning that all players are able to use those cards for purposes of making their best possible 5 card hand. Another round of betting occurs after the flop, with the action starting with the first player to the left of the button. Only players who have not folded in a previous betting round take part in the flop or subsequent betting rounds.
The Turn
If there are still 2 or more players who have not folded, we move on to the “turn”. On the turn, a single card is laid face up, next to the cards laid on flop, for a total of 4 community cards. The “turn” betting round ensues, again starting with the first player remaining to the left of the button.
The River
If there are still 2 or more players left who have not folded, we move on to the “river”. The final community card is laid face up, which makes a total of 5 community cards face up on the table. One last round of betting takes place, the “river” betting round, and again it starts with the first player remaining to the left of the button.
Showing Down
If two or more players remain after the river round of betting is complete, a showdown occurs. The winner of the pot is the player who can make the highest ranking 5 card poker hand using any combination of their 2 pocket cards and the 5 community cards. It occasionally happens that the best 5 card hand that anyone can make comprises the 5 community cards on the board. In this situation the remaining players split the pot equally. If two or more players have the same winning hand (two people who both have Pocket Aces for example) the pot is split between those players.
After the showdown, the button moves one person to the left of the dealer, the cards are shuffled, and the next hand is dealt.
