Texas Hold'em
The granddaddy of them all, Texas holdem is quickly becoming the game of choice in card rooms around the world. It’s an easy game to learn, but a very complex game to master. Players receive two cards down, known as hole cards, then 5 cards are dealt face up (community cards) and then try to make their best 5 card poker hand out of the 7 cards.
The 60 second overview of Texas Hold'em
Two cards are dealt face down to each player, a round of betting ensues.
Three cards are dealt up in the middle of the table for each player to use in their hand, another round of betting takes place.
A forth card is dealt face up in the middle of the table, more betting.
A fifth and final card is dealt face up, and the last round of betting occurs.
The player with the best 5 card poker hand (out of the 7 cards in total) wins the pot.
In depht overview
Texas hold’em begins with the “dealer button” a small flat disk that indicates who is to deal the cards. The two players to the immediate left of the dealer button are the blind positions, first to the left is the small blind, and second to the left is the big blind. The dealer then deals two cards face down to each player, known as hole cards or pocket cards, and the first round of betting ensues. Any other player wishing to enter the hand must at least call the big blind (there is an option to raise on top of the big blind if you wish) in order to stay in the game, otherwise they must fold.
Once the first round of betting is complete the dealer burns one card and places three cards up in the middle of the table for all players to use, known as the flop. Once these community cards are laid down a second round of betting ensues beginning with the first player to the left of the dealer that is still in the game. Players may bet, check, raise or fold.
Following this second round of betting another card is laid face up, known as fourth street or the turn card. Another round of betting takes place.
Finally the last card is placed face up on the table (for a total of 5 face up), this card is called the river card. A final round of betting takes place and the person with the best 5 card poker hand between any of the community cards and the two face down wins the pot. Occasionally two players will have hands of equal strength(see hand rankings on right side); in this case the pot is split equally between the two.
Betting structure:
There are three types of betting structure in Texas hold’em poker, pot limit hold’em, limit hold’em, and the Cadillac of hold’em, no limit hold’em.
Limit Holdem
In limit hold’em the amount that a player wishes to bet or raise with is “limited” to predefined amounts. For example, say you’re playing a $2/$4 limit hold’em game, the big blind pays $2 and the small blind would pay $1. For the first two rounds (pre-flop and post flop) of betting all bets and raises are in $2 increments. Betting after the turn and the river requires $4 increments.
One variety of limit hold’em is known as “spread limit” hold’em. This game is played the same as limit hold’em except for one small difference; any raising is done based on a pre-determined spread. For example in a $2/$4 game a casino may set the spreads as $1-$4 for the first 3 rounds of betting, so if you raised a $2 bet it would be the called amount ($2) + $1, $2, $3, or $4. The final round of betting would have spread limits of $1-$8, meaning bets and raises can be anywhere in that range.
No Limit Holdem
In no limit holdem, as the name suggests, means that any player can bet or raise any amount of their chips at any given time. No limit holdem is usually more difficult than limit holdem because the amount a player bets isn't limited, and may or may not be indicative of their hand strength. The minimum bet in a NL Holdem game is usually equal to the big blind for the first two rounds of betting and then twice the big blind for the final three rounds of betting.
When you hear a player going "All In" this is usually in the context of a no limit hold’em game, the player pushes all their chips into the center of the table, or into the pot as their bet. The advantage of this is you can't be bluffed, and you're automatically are in the showdown, unless all other players fold. If you win the showdown from going “all in” you usually at least double up. The disadvantage of going “all in” is that if you lose to an opponent with more chips than you, you’re out.
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Hand Rankings
The winning hand is always determined by the best five card hand.
Royal Flush
Straight Flush
Four of a Kind
Full House
Flush
Straight
Three of a Kind
Two Pair
One Pair
