How to Play Texas Holdem
Texas Holdem is a fairly simple game to play. Like Mike Sexton of the World Poker Tour says, "Holdem is a game takes a minute to learn, and a lifetime to master." This assessment is very true. The beauty of the game is its simplicity. Yet more beautiful is the games complexity. A player can choose to develop as much or as little as they choose. You can have fun playing the basics in a low-limit game, or you can choose to master the game on a more complex level and tackle the high-limit games. Below, is the basic flow of a typical hand of Texas Holdem.
A person is selected to deal a hand. This position is known as "The Button". There are two forced bets called "Blinds". The person to the immediate left of the dealer must put out the Small Blind, and the person two positions to the left of the dealer must put out the Big Blind. The Small and Big Blinds can be whatever denomination you choose. The Big Blind is customarily twice the size of the small blind. The larger the blinds, the larger the pots will be at the end.
After the blinds are posted, the dealer deals two cards to each person (one at a time). These two cards are called the "Hole Cards". Action begins with the first person after the big blind (three positions to the left of the dealer). Each person player acts in succession, and can either fold, call, or raise. If a player does not want to participate in this hand, they can fold their hand. Once a hand is folded, that person compete again until the next hand is dealt.
If a person wishes to particiapte in a hand, they can either call or raise the current bet. When a person calls, they put in an amount that is equal to the big blind (unless a raise has occured before them, in which case, they must put in an amount equal to the previous raise).
If somebody wants to raise the bet, they may put in more money that the big blind. A raise must be at least twice the amount of the previous raise (or if there has been no raises to this point, the minimum raise is always twice the amount of the big blind). When a person raises, any subsequent person who wishes to play in the hand can either fold, call the raise, or they can reraise the bet themselves. At any time, a person can call a bet/raise or fold. Play continues around the table until all players have put in an equal amount of chips into the pot.
Three cards are then dealt face-up. This is called "The Flop". The first person remaining in the hand to the left of the dealer acts first. Each player has three options: Check, Bet / Raise, or Fold. The action continues around the table until each player has put in an equal amount into the pot.
Another card is then dealt face-up. This card is called "The Turn". Again, action continues as described on the flop.
The last card is dealt face-up. This card is called "The River". Betting continues as described on the flop. Once the bets are called down, everybody turns up their cards. Players use 5 of the 7 cards (2 in their hand and 5 on the board) to make the best possible hand. The player with the best hands wins the pot (see Hand Rankings for more information).
Here is an example of a typical Holdem Hand:
Seat 1: Button
Seat 2: Posts the Small Blind of $1
Seat 3: Posts the Big Blind of $2
Seats 4-10 are all in the hand.
Cards are dealt. Seat #4 is first to act. He has:
and folds.
Seat 5 has:
and calls $2
Seat 6 has:
and folds
Seat 7 has:
and folds
Seat 8 has:
and raises to $6.
Seat 9 has:
and calls the $6 raise (not the $2 Big Blind) from Seat 8.
Seat 10 has:
and folds.
Seat 1 (button) has:
and calls the $6 raise from Seat 8.
Seat 2 (small blind) has:
And folds
Seat 3 (Big Blind) has:
and calls. Note that since the big blind already had a forced bet of $2, they are only required to put an additional $4 into the pot.
Action then goes back to Seat 5. Since he originally called the $2, and the bet is now $6, Seat 5 must put in an additional $4 to play the hand. Seat #5 may also elect to reraise, but they will just call the $4.
At this point, everybody left has put $6 into the pot. We have 5 players left in the hand.
The flop comes:
Action begins with the first person to the left of the dealer - which is Seat 2.
Seat 2: Check
Seat 7: Bet $15 with trip 7s
Seat 8: Raises to $45 with a pair of Aces
Seat 9: Has an open ended straight + a flush draw. Calls $45
Seat 1: Folds the pair of Jacks.
Seat 2: Originally they checked, now they fold.
Seat 3: Originally bet $15 and has to put in $30 more to call the bet from Seat 8. Seat 5 could reraise at this point, but they just call. There are three players left in the hand
The turn is:
Seat 5: Checks
Seat 8: Checks
Seat 9: Bets $90
Action goes back to Seat 5
Seat 5: Calls $90
Seat 8: Folds
There are two players left in the hand.
The River is:
Seat 5 bets $50
Seat 9 calls.
Both players show their hand. Seat 5 wins the pot with a Full House, which is better than Seat 9's Flush.
Next page: Hand Rankings