Texas Hold 'em Rules

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Texas Hold'em Rules

In this offering we'd like to give you a comprehensive rundown on the rules for the game of Texas Hold em. This is a non complicated game to learn but a challenging game to master especially when you are playing with others who are well versed in the rules, and have in their arsenal, a little strategy. Before we begin with the rules of play, it's important to know and understand some of the terminology you'll hear in this game.

Texas Hold em

Dealer - Deals each player their two cards face down and also deals all the community cards.

Dealer Button - This is a marker placed in front of the player who represents the location of the deal and rotates to each player. The object of this is to give each player the opportunity to be dealt last, as if he were the dealer.

Small Blind - Equals half of the minimum bet allowed.

Big Blind - Equals the minimum bet allowed.

The Flop - The first three cards of the community cards are layed out on the table at the same time.

Fourth Street also known as The Turn - This is the fourth card dealt to the community cards.

The River - This is the fifth and final card dealt to the community cards.

All in - This is when a player bets all his remaining chips on the game.

Check - You are checking the strength of the other players hands, when you call Check, you are essentially saying to the other players, "I'm testing the water".

Raise - If you feel your hand is strong enough, you raise the stakes by increasing the bet of the previous player

Call - To Call means that you 'see' the last bet made.

Fold - To toss away your hand and sit this game out.

After the Blinds have been placed, each player is dealt two cards one at a time, face down in front of them starting with the player to the left of the player with the Dealer Button. In this first round of play, a player has the option to call, raise, or fold his hand. Once the pot is satisfied and all players have declared their intentions, the Dealer deals out The Flop in the center of the table. In this round, players have the option to either check, raise, call or fold. The Dealer continues and deals the Fourth Street to the community cards. Players decide whether to check, raise, call or fold and then the final round is dealt. The Dealer deals The River, the fifth and final card to the community cards in the center of the table. The remaining players must decide whether the strength of their hand is worth remaining in the game. This round ends with the highest hand taking the pot and a new game begins.

The basics of the game are easy, utilizing strategy, learning to read 'Tells" and Bluffing come into play to make this game as challenging and exciting as any game you'll ever play. There are many strategists out their with good points on how to win at Texas Hold em. Listen to what they have to say and read everything you can find. It'll enhance your game. If you're first starting out, the best strategy is to play often, watch how others play, develop your poker face as well as your own strategy. Learn to read your opponents Tells, and learn to Bluff. The tips will take you far in this game, and serve you well.

It's very important to know the Hand Rankings in any poker game. Below are the rankings from highest to lowest. These are the same for all poker games.

Royal Flush - 10, J, Q, K A suited.

Straight Flush - 5 cards in sequence of the same suit .

Four of a Kind - 4 like cards such as 4 Queens.

Full House - 3 of a Kind plus a Pair.

Flush - 5 cards of the same suit.

Straight - 5 Cards in sequence such as 3,4,5,6 and 7, but not in the same suit.

Three of a Kind - 3 like cards such as 3 9's.

Two Pair - 4 cards that make two pairs of cards such as 2 7's and 2 K's

One Pair - 2 like cards.

High Card - The highest ranking card in a hand.

The Royal Flush is the highest hand you can get, and all Royal Flush's are equal with none being a higher value than another. In the off chance that there are two players with similar hands, the high hand in that situation would be the winner. For example, in the Straight Flush, if one player has 2,3,4,5 and 6 of Clubs, and another player has 7,8,9,10 and Jack of Diamonds, the latter hand is the winner.