Holdem Rules: How To Play Texas Holdem

When it comes to Texas Hold ‘Em poker, not that many people know the actual rules, this is especially true for those who think that know everything about the game. Although Texas Hold ‘Em does is a pretty easy game, it can be difficult to figure out the rules exactly – in this article, we will explore some of the basic rules of this fun, fun poker game! So hold onto your hats folks, this is going to be quite a ride!

The first thing you will need to know is that everyone is dealt two cards that are exclusively theirs and another two cards that are ‘community’ cards that are to be shared with the rest of the game players. Although Texas Hold ‘Em comes in a number of different varieties, the rules are definitely the same throughout all of the versions of the game.

Now, the game starts when the players to the left of the dealer bet. The blinds are what these two players are generally called, so keep that in mind. The reason these two players are referred to as ‘the blinds’ is because they are forced to put their money into the pot blindly, usually before they see anyone else’s cards. The player immediately to the left of the dealer is referred to as the big blind and they need to bet up to the minimum amount allowed. The player to the big blinds left is usually called the little blind and they have to bet at least half of what the big blind has put forth.

There are a few things that you will need to know, so if you wanted to play at a casino versus playing at home, you will understand some of the rules: at a land-based casino, all the bets are going to be placed in front of the players and not thrown into the ‘pot’ in the middle of the table. Where if you were playing at home, you would probably just throw everything in the middle of the table, the reason for this difference is so that the dealer can keep track of everyone’s bets.

Finally, the first round of betting should start right about now, the big blind and the little blind bet first and then it should continue clockwise around the table. Now when you are betting, if you are not any of the blinds then you can either fold, call or raise the bet. The big or little blind may do nothing if there has been no raise, but if there has been a raise, the big blind will need to either call it, fold or raise it some more. The same rules go for the little blind but if no raise has been called, he can increase his bet to the full minimum bet set forth by the big blind. If there has been a raise, the little blind could fold, re-raise or simply call the bet.

Next, the dealer will ‘burn’ a card, that is when they will discard it face down on the table, this is done to prevent any cheating, in case someone saw the very top card and will turn up the next three cards on the deck; this is called a flop. This will be done until there are up to five community cards face up on the table. Players can use any combination of the community cards in junction with the two cards they have in their hands to make a five-card poker hand.

The final round if betting will take place right when the fifth and final community card is laid out and if there is more than one player left than there will be a showdown between the players. Each player with the best five card hand will win!

So see? Texas Hold ‘Em poker is really not as complicated as many people make it out to be. If you have previous poke experience, it is a fantastic help, but it definitely is not necessary. Have fun with the game and introduce your friends to it!