Texas Hold'em rules

Texas hold'em is the most popular poker game actually played all over the world. Everywhere you can find Texas hold'em game, on TV, live, in somebody’s house, online (where it’s the master game) and again in other places. “Texas Hold'em is easy to learn, but difficult to master”.

At the beginning, Hold’em Poker is easy to be understood, but to became expert players it takes thousands of played hands, cumulated experiences, knowledge stored inside of us and much more besides. It’s hard to master at certain levels. To learn to play you need only to understand some basic rule, understand the game, watch the bets and play winner hands. First rule, Patience is all in Poker, much of every other thing, straight after there are experience and knowledge.

The aim of the game: In Texas hold'em you have to realize the best hand using five, of the seven available cards. At the beginning you will receive two random cards (only visible by you). Common five cards remaining will be turned bare at the centre of the card table and everyone could use it to realize the best hand possible.

Betting before the flop

After hole cards have been issued, you can decide to leave the hand (fold), watch the current bet (call) or raise, on the basis of the potentiality of your hand. First player called to talk is at the left of the big blind and it is called “Under The Gun” (UTG). In this stage of the game you must at least watch the big blind or decide to leave the hand (fold) if you don’t want to play. You can’t do Check (watch next cards without bet) because players that have paid the blind have just open the bets. The action move in clockwise until all players have done Call, Fold or Raise. If anybody raise until the big blind, he can choose Check or Raise. In Pot Limit games, only three number of raisings are allowed. In other words, bets are limited after third raising. In No Limit games bets can continue until all players have watched the higher bet or have reached “All In” status (betting all your fiches). If bets continue to grow after a player go All In, is made a secondary pot (called Side Pot) to cover that calling. At the right of the Big Blind there is the Small Blind (to play will have to complete the blind, or eventually leave the hand or raise). For example, if you are playing in a 0.50/1$ card table, Small Blind will put on 0.50$, while Big Blind will put on 1$, for this reason Small Blind must add 0.50$ to watch the Flop, on condition that nobody had previously raised. The best position for a player is on the Button or Dealer, placed at the right of the Small Blind. This player will play at the end, during the post-flop betting.

The Flop

First betting turn was completed, now it’s time to watch the flop. The flop is composed by three bare cards at the centre of the table (board). All players can use this common cards to realize the best own hand. Now, it’s time to a new betting turn. First called to decide is the left-dealer player, apart from the dealer is still playing or not. Left-dealer player will be the first one called to decide for the entire hand. Apart from this difference, betting are exactly like the pre-flop.

The Turn

This card is also used by all players to realize the best possible hand and it’s followed by a betting turn, like after the flop.

The River

The croupier delete a card and discover the fifth card on the centre of the table: this is the “River” or 5th Street. With the River all players have the possibility to compose the best possible hand with all seven cards. This is the last betting turn.

The Showdown

We are on the rendering of accounts to watch who will win the final pot. All players still playing the hand can show their own cards, since the last betting player, going on clockwise. Players aware to be walked over can choose to Muck (hide) their cards. Anyway, the last player betting (the first called to show their cards) it’s always obliged to show the cards. To watch other players cards, even if they have lost, is essential to develop a good strategy. So, it’s always useful take note when it’s possible.