How to play Texas Holdem

Texas Holdem is the most popular poker game in the world. It is carried out with the help of a normal pack of 52 books. Generally, in the poker game, there is a dealer who deals the cards. In casinos and gambling halls, the dealer usually does not play, his only occupation being the distribution of cards. In games between friends, when the number of players is reduced, the dealer’s position changes progressively with the change of hands so that each player is, in turn, the dealer.

In the internet game, we are dealing with an automatic dealer, represented by a button inscribed with the letter “D” which goes to each player at the table.

Blinds

You do not have to bet in Texas Holdem poker before you see the cards. The only players who have to bet are the players to the dealer’s left; there are two mandatory bets, called Blinds (small blind, respectively big blind). The game starts by putting a previously set amount of money – Blind in the pot before two players deal the cards to the dealer’s left or the automatic dealer (Button); this amount of money represents the minimum bet for which you can bet.

Most often, the Little Blind (the player immediately to the dealer’s left) places half of the minimum bet, and the player to his left the Big Blind places the total minimum bet. This is called “blind posting.”

Cards dealing

Each player at the table receives two cards from the dealer, positioned face down (so-called closed cards), which each player usually views very carefully to observe. The best way to view the cards is to gently bend the corner of the cart with one hand while the other hand is on top of the cards.

The Texas Holdem poker game consists of making the best combination of 5 cards using the two cards in hand and three on the table, 1 in hand and four on the table, and in the rarest situation, the five cards are turned on the table by the dealer.

First Round of Betting

The first round of betting begins after the cards have been dealt; the first player to have the right to bet is the player to the left of the “big blind,” the minimum bet amount equal to the big blind.

Each player at the table has three options:

– fold if the player considers that the bet amount is too high for his cards;

– call if he pays the highest amount requested by a player at the table;

– raise if the player considers that the amounts wagered by the players before him are too small compared to the cards he has;

If a player chooses the fold option, he no longer actively participates in that hand; he only follows the game’s development, having the possibility to win the pot.

Flop

After the first betting round, the dealer puts a card face down to avoid the risk of being considered a cheater then returns three cards to the table.

The second round of betting

The first player to have the right to bet is the first player to the dealer’s left, who is still present in that hand.

Again players have four options:

• fold if the player considers that the bet amount is too high compared to the option he can make using the cards in the man and the cards on the table;
• check if the player considers that the version made by him is good enough to stay in the game;
• call if the player considers that he can continue in the respective hand even if he has to bet a sum of money established by the players who bet before him;
• raise if the player considers that the amounts wagered so far are too small compared to the 5-card variant he obtains by combining the two cards in his hand with the three on the table.

The Tower (or Fourth Street)

After the second round of betting is over, the dealer puts another card aside, then returns the fourth card (fourth street), the so-called TURN, followed by the third round of betting.

River (or Fifth Street)

After the third round of betting is over, the dealer puts aside another card, returns the fifth card (fifth street), the last card common to all players, and returns to the table from flop, turn, and river.

The fourth round of betting

This precedes the Show-Down when the player remaining in that hand must show his cards.

If two or more players have the same card deck, the next highest card in the player’s deck (Kicker) breaks the tie. If there is no kicker card (players have used the cards in their hand or have the same deck of cards), the pot is split between them.