How To Play Texas Hold'em
Without too many words, "Texas Hold'em" is the daddy of all the poker games.
And the good news is that you don't need a Steven Hawkins brain in order to play.
The goal of the game
OK, let's start from the beginning. "Texas Hold'em" is a fast seven card game, and it is the most popular and fun form of game played today.
If you happen to see a poker game on television the chances are you saw a "Texas Hold'em" game.
The goal of the game is to form the best hand of five cards, using the two cards you received with their face down and five common cards with their face up located at the center of the table.
But we will discuss all that later.
The dealer's button
In every hand, a selected player gets a dealer's button (a little button marked with a 'D').
The position of the dealer is important, because the two people sitting to the left of the dealer declare their first bets.
The dealer's button moves to the left after every game, so that each player becomes a virtual dealer and each person is required to declare a primary bet.
The first bet
The player on the left of the dealer places a small primary bet, and the player on his left side places the bigger primary bet.
The primary bet is used in order to encourage the players to place bets and enter the hand.
The extent of the first bet is decided by the table in which the game is played.
The small primary bet is usually half the minimal bet, whereas the bigger primary bet is equal to the minimal bet. The following example shows it best: if you are playing at a table of 2\4, the small primary bet will be 1 and the bigger primary bet will be 2.
Opening the game
The minute the first bet is completed, the time of the cards has arrived. They are dealt clockwise, starting with the dealer. Each player receives two cards face down, cards which only he can see.
It is betting time. After all, that is why we are here.
The bets after the first cards are dealt
At this stage, each player bets on the basis of the first hand he was dealt.
The first gambler is the player to the left of the bigger opening bet. At this stage each participant has three options: to fold, to raise or to match the primary bet. In order for the participant to stay with his hand, he must at least match or raise the bet.
Opening cards is not a possibility at this stage, the bets are made in a clockwise direction each participant has to match, raise or fold.
If no one has raised the sum of the bigger primary bet, when it is next the turn of the participant who placed that bet he can ask the players to open their hands, fold or raise.
The bet made in the first round is the bet on the lowest sums, meaning that in a game of 2\4 the first round will be in increments of 2 from bet to bet.
Just only one little tip before we continue.
The bets cannot last forever we are using a standard gambling system and a model of three raises.
This means that in each round there is an opening bet and the possibility of three raises.
After the third raise it is no longer possible to raise more in that round.
The Flop
Now, when the first round is complete, it is time for the "Flop" (now it starts to be interesting).
The "Flop" is the series of the three cards lying on the table face up so that all the players can see them and all the players can make combinations between the cards on the table and the cards they hold.
Now, is the time for an additional betting round, once more at the low blind level.
This time the participant sitting to the left side of the dealer button is the one to open the betting round irrespective of whether the player with the dealer button folded or not.
The player to the left of the dealer will remain for the rest of the hand. Apart from this, the betting process is identical to the one before dealing the "Flop".
The Turn
Now, when another round is completed, another card is turned over on the table.
The fourth card, like the other three before it, can be used in order carry out card combinations with the card held by the participant.
Now the minimal bet is at the level of the high blind, meaning in a game of 2\4 the difference between bets will be 4.
The river
The fourth is revealed, now it is the turn of the last card, the river. Now all the cards have been dealt; every player can see which is the strongest five card hand that he can create. Now, another betting round, this time too, the minimum is at the high blind level.
Exposing the cards the Show Down
The time has come to find out who is the lucky winner.
Each participant exposes his cards, from the last to bet and onwards.
The winner is the player with the strongest hand according to the universal poker ranking.
If a player wins because he was the last one at the table, the cards are not exposed, and the winning player can choose whether to show his cards or not.
Most players don't like to show their cards, it is always appealing to leave the opponent in doubt...
The last tip
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Everything looks quite complicated and that it will take forever, there is nothing to worry about. In reality, the game is fairly straightforward, and in spite of all the stages the game passes quickly.
If you worry that during the time you are starting to learn poker other players may sting you, you can play for fun and not for real money, until you feel confident enough to move to a game played for real
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