The following is a little information concerning the game Texas Hold’em, a popular poker game played in casinos around the globe. The game of Texas Hold’em is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. Both Texas Hold’em tournaments and cash games can be played with a number of different players. The goal of the game is to build the highest poker hand using the two hole cards as well as the five community cards in the middle of the table.
In tournaments, the goal is to try and eliminate every player, as this is the way to win. The number of poker tables varies depending on the size of the tournament, ranging from single table tourneys through to multi-table tourneys with huge fields. Normally the seats of each table are taken by up to ten poker players. The tournament continues until all players except one finally has all the chips. Typically, the top 10% of the field gets paid.
Unlike tournaments, in cash games each hand that is played is an independent event. While it’s possible to bust out of a tournament if you’re all-in and lose, in a cash game you can choose to re-buy up to the maximum amount that is permitted for the cash game, which is typically 100 big blinds. As an example, in a $1/$2 NLHE game, you can buy in for $200, and the minimum is usually around 20 times the big blind, or $40 in a $1/$2 game.
Regardless of whether you’re playing a tournament or cash game, a Texas Hold’em poker game starts with each players being dealt 2 face down cards. The player in the dealer position is represented by the dealer button but in most games there is a dedicated dealer for the game. The dealer position is last to act in all rounds post flop.
The Different Betting Rounds
Texas holdem has four rounds of betting, followed by the showdown. Once all the cards are dealt the first betting round takes place. The game begins with the player on the left of the dealer position posting the small blind. The next player to the left is then required to post the big blind, which is typically double the amount of the small blind bet.
For example, in a $1/$2 NLHE game, the small blind is $1 and the big blind is $2. During the pre-flop round of betting the player in the big blind closes out the action, and has the option of checking, raising, or folding if they have a bad hand they don’t want to call a raise with. The progression of the betting round depends on the decision of the first players to act. Each player has three possibilities. They can post the minimum bet equal to the big blind, increase this bet by raising, or fold the hand.
Before the second round of betting takes place, the first three community cards, known as the Flop, are placed in the middle of the table. This time and for all subsequent rounds the betting starts with the player in the small blind and moves around the table in a clockwise manner. After the flop, the player has the possibility to check and not put more chips in the pot, but once the first player bets, the following players have to at least match this bet, and they can also raise, otherwise they have to fold.
Before the third round of betting takes place, the fourth community card, known as the Turn, is dealt in the center of the table. The round proceeds in the same way as the second.
Before the fourth betting round starts the fifth and final community card, known as the River, is dealt face up in the middle that all players can use to form the best five-card poker hand.
After this river round of betting the showdown occurs and all players remaining in the hand reveal their cards to determine who the winner is. In the case that bets on the river aren’t called then the player active in the hand takes down the pot.
So make sure to read up on the Texas Holdem rules and strategy before going to an online poker room and playing for real money.
