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Poker Rules : Texas Holdem Poker
Texas Holdem is a
"community card" game, meaning that some
cards are dealt face-up in the middle of
the table and shared by all the players.
Each player has two down cards that are
theirs alone, and combines them with the
five community cards to make the best
possible five-card hand.
Most Holdem games get
the betting started with one or two
"blind bets" to the left of the
dealer. These are forced bets that
must be made before seeing one's
cards.
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Play begins by
dealing two cards face down to
each player; these are known as
"hole cards" or "pocket
cards".
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A round of betting
follows.
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Play proceeds
clockwise from the blinds, with
each player free to:
a. Fold
b. Call the blind bet,
c. Or raise.
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The blinds are
usually "live", meaning that they
may raise themselves when the
action gets back around to
them.
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5. Three cards are
dealt face up in the middle of the
table; this is called the
"flop".
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6. A round of
betting ensues, with action
starting on the first blind,
immediately to the dealers
left.
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Another card is
dealt face up (the "turn"),
followed by another round of
betting, again beginning to the
dealer's left.
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Then the final card
(the "river") is dealt followed by
the final round of betting.
In a structured-limit
game, the bets on the turn and river
are usually double the size of those
before and on the flop.
The game is usually
played for high only, and each player
makes the best five-card combination
to compete for the pot.
Players usually use both
their hole cards to make their best
hand, but this is not required. A
player may even choose to "play the
board" and use no hole cards at
all.
Identical five-card
hands split the pot; the sixth and
seventh cards are not used to break
ties.
Buy-in:
Players must ‘buy-inEwith a minimum amount of chips when sitting down at a table. The minimum buy-in amount is equal to ten times the lower bet limit of the game. For example on a $3/$6 table the minimum buy-in is $30, on a $10/$20 table the minimum buy-in is $100.
Sit Down:
Up to 10 players are seated around a table.
Dealer Button:
The Dealer Button is a round disc that is passed from player to player (clockwise) just before each set of new cards is dealt. This disc determines the order of betting and blind posting.
Post Blinds:
Before any cards are dealt, the two players directly to the left of the dealer button must post "blinds". To post a blind is to place a bet before seeing your cards.
The player to the immediate left of the dealer button must post the "small blind," which is half the minimum bet (e.g. $5 for a $10/$20 table). The player to the left of the small blind posts the "big blind," which is the amount of the minimum bet (e.g. $10 for a $10/$20 table).
Pocket Cards:
Once the blinds have been posted, two cards are dealt face down to each player, called the "pocket cards". At this stage, each player can see his/her pocket cards only.
The first round of betting then takes place, beginning with the player immediately to the left of the big blind and continuing clockwise around the table.
Betting:
Bet amounts are fixed by the table stakes. E.g. on a $3/$6 table, bets are $3 in the first two rounds and $6 in the last two. There can be one bet and three raises in each round, i.e. the bet amount can climb a maximum of 3 times in each round of betting.
The Flop:
Next, three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. This is known as “The Flop These cards are "community" cards, i.e. they can be used by all the players at the table to make up their poker hand.
After the flop is dealt a second round of betting takes place, beginning again with the player immediately to the left of the dealer button (as with all subsequent rounds of betting).
The Turn:
Following the flop, a fourth "community" card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. This card is called the "Turn" card and can also be used by all players. It is followed by a third round of betting.
The River:
The fifth and final "community" card is dealt face up in the middle of the table known as “The RiverE followed by a final round of betting.
Showdown:
Once all betting is complete, players lay down their cards in what’s known as ‘The Showdown displaying their hand to the rest of the table. The player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot. Should multiple hands tie, the pot is split with any odd amount going to the player to the left of the dealer.
Start Again:
After a hand is completed and the pot has been won, the dealer button is moved one seat clockwise and the next hand begins.
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