Hold 'Em
Texas Hold'em
Texas Hold'em is a community card game. Every player is dealt two cards face down, and then five community cards are dealt in the middle of the table. The five community cards may be used by every player. Texas Hold'em is played with a dealer button to mark who the dealer would be if the casino weren't providing one for the table. The button rotates clockwise around the table between every hand. This is important as the "dealer" is the last to act, and thus has the greatest advantage for that hand.
Texas Hold'em Rules – Objective
To make your best five card hand using any combination of the five cards on the board and the two in your hand.
Blinds
Texas Hold’em rules dictate there be a forced bet every hand called blinds. In most games there are two blinds positioned two spots to the left of the Dealer Button called the “Small Blind” and the “Big Blind”. These forced bets are set depending on the game structure. In spread limit games they are either $1 and $2 or $2 and $5. In structure games the small blind is ½ the size of the small bet and the big blind is equal to the size of the small bet. This bet counts towards that player’s first round bet, and is considered live; meaning the player may chose to raise even if nobody else has.
Texas Hold'em Rules – Betting Rounds
There are four rounds of betting in Texas Hold’em. In spread limit games the betting is spread from the low bet to the high bet on all rounds. For example in $1/2-100 the betting is from $2 to $100 all rounds. In structure games the betting increments are the low bet pre flop and on the flop, and then the big bet on the turn and the river. For example in $3/6 the bet pre flop and on the flop is $3 with the bets on the turn and river being in increments of $6.
1. Preflop – The 2 players to the left of the dealer button are forced to post the blinds. Two cards are dealt to every player face down, starting with the blind. The action begins with the player to the immediate left of the blind, who must decide to fold, call (by putting in the amount of the blind posted), or raise. Action proceeds clockwise around the table. The blind may simply check (assuming nobody has raised), as he has already put in the full size of the first round bet, or raise.
2. The Flop – Three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. In this round, and in the following two rounds, the player to the immediate left of the dealer button is the first to act. Play proceeds in a clockwise manner around the table. All bets and raises must be in increments of $2-$5.
3. The Turn – A fourth card is dealt face up in the middle of the table and a betting round ensues.
4. The River – A fifth and final card is dealt face up in the middle of the table and a betting round ensues.
Showdown
Anyone who has not folded after the last round of betting will now have the option of showing their hand and possibly winning the pot. The person who bet last is the first to show their hand, and then it proceeds clockwise from there, with each remaining player either choosing to show their hand, or fold it. Often times a player will fold their hand if they aren't going to win the pot, and don't want their opponents to see what they played.
