Texas Hold'em Poker
Texas Hold'em poker is a card game played for between 2-7 players. It is played with a normal 52 card deck.
The game is very popular and you can find it in countries all around the world in casinos to cardrooms, online
and in home games. Texas Hold'em poker consists of 4 betting rounds. Throughout the game each player gets 2
pocket cards. 5 community cards are placed in the center of the table, and shared by all players. Each player
creates the highest valued poker hand, using any combination of his/her 2 pocket cards and the 5 community cards.
BETTING LIMITS
Each table in Texas Hold'em poker have a lower limit and higher limit stake. A lower limit stake is always half
the amount of the higher limit stake (i.e. a $1/$2 table, or a $3/$6 table).
The players bet in multiples of the table's lower limit stake in the first two betting rounds and multiples of
the table's higher limit in the final two betting rounds of the game.
THE DEALER
The players take turns acting as the dealer. It is identified by the yellow circular button located beside a
player's seating position. After each hand, the dealer button moves left, in a clockwise direction, to the next
sitting player.
THE BLIND BETS
The pot is initially formed through the use of mandatory bets, known as Blind Bets.
The first blind bet (small blind), is posted by the first player seated to the left of the dealer in a clockwise
direction. The amount of the small blind bet is half of the table's lower limit stake. The second blind bet (big blind),
is posted bye the second player seated to the left of the dealer.
Both the small blind and the big blind are considered active bets and therefore can be Checked, Called, Raised or Folded.
THE BETTING ROUNDS
There are four betting rounds in Texas Hold'em poker. The first two betting rounds are set at the table's lower limit stake and
the last two betting rounds are set at the table's higher limit stake.
After the players' pocket cards are dealt, the first betting round is initiated by the first player, in a clockwise direction,
to the left of the big blind.
After each of the subsequent three deals (The Flop, The Turn and The River), in which the community cards are dealt,
the betting rounds are initiated by the first active player, in a clockwise direction, to the left of the dealer.
Betting rounds always proceed in a clockwise direction, from one active player to the next. Each player can either:
1. Check – Pass the option to act to the next active player.
2. Bet – Place a betting round's initial increase to the amount that each of the following player must place in the pot
in order to remain in the game.
3. Raise – Place a betting round's second, third or fourth increase to the amount that each of the following players
must place in the pot in order to remain in the game.
4. Call – Equal the previous active player's bet amount.
5. Fold – Discard hand and discontinue the game. The player forfeits the amount (if any) that he/she have previously bet
during that game.
In keeping with the conventional poker rules, there can be no more than one bet and three additional raises (Raise, Reraise and Cap) on
each betting round. Once a cap occurs, the next players will only be able to Call or Fold.
A Betting Round is concluded when:
1. All active players have Checked in Turn.
2. All active players have matched the last player to increase the amount (Bet/Raise) to be placed in the pot.
3. All previous players have chosen to Fold, leaving only one active Player. This last remaining player automatically
receives the pot. In this case both the Betting Round and game are automatically terminated.
THE SHOWDOWN
Once the fourth betting round is completed, if more than one player remains active in the game, there is a "Showdown".
In the Showdown, each active player may utilize any combination of his/her 2 pocket cards and the 5 community cards,
to create the highest valued 5 card poker hand.
Players may use any of the following combinations, to create the highest valued poker hand:
1. Both pocket cards and three community cards.
2. One pocket card and four community cards.
3. All five Community cards.
TIE HANDS
In the event that two or more active players participating in the poker hand's showdown, hold equal ranking hands,
the winner is determined by the high card (i.e. a pair of Aces beats a pair of Kings).
Should the poker hands remain tied (i.e. a pair of Kings vs. a pair of Kings), the highest valued card not held in
common determines the game's winner.
RANKING OF HANDS
Players compare five card hands against each other to determine who wins. A player with a flush has a better hand
than a player with a straight, for example. The following list is from best to worst, so any hand on the list beats
any hand below it and loses to any hand above it.
| Royal Flush |  |
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| Straight Flush |  |
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| Four of a Kind |  |
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| Full House |  |
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| Flush |  |
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| Straight |  |
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| Three of a Kind |  |
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| Two Pair | |
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| Pair |  |
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| High Card | |
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