Rules and Strategy

Texas Holdem - Poker Rules

Holdem ...."the most popular poker game in the world"



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In Holdem play begins with the dealing of two down cards to each player, betting starts, and then five community cards are dealt (which are face-up in the middle of the table).

Your hand is determined by using the best five of those seven cards (in any combination) and the best hand or the last player standing wins the pot (The pot may be won by someone betting and no one calling prior to getting seven cards).

There are four rounds of betting. In Limit Holdem, one bet and three raises are allowed for each betting round. In No Limit Holdem there are no restriction on the betting, you may bet any or all of your chips at any point.

To continue to play, players must call all action to them on each betting round (unless they are "all-in").

Prior to dealing the cards, two blinds (the Small Blind and the Big Blind) are placed in the pot by the two players to the immediate left of the dealer (normally indicated by a plastic disc called "the button"). The blinds guarantee that there is betting action, the big blind is the opening stake, and the small blind is half of the stake.

1) All players are dealt two down cards ("hole cards"). The action begins with the player to the left of the Big Blind folding, calling, or raising and continues in a clockwise fashion around to the Big Blind (note that the Big Blind still has the option to raise). The round ends when all legal raises are called.

2) The dealer discards one card, then turns over three cards (community cards known as "The Flop"). From this point onward each betting round starts from the player to the left of the dealer (small blind), The round ends when all legal raises are called.

3) The dealer discards one card, and then turns over one card (known as "The Turn" or "Fourth Street"). This is the third round of betting. (In Limit Holdem, the amount bet doubles on "The Turn"). The round ends when all legal raises are called

4) The dealer discards one card, and then turns over the last card (known as "The River" card or "Fifth Street"). This is the final round of betting. Upon completion of the final round of betting, the best hand, or the last player standing wins the pot.

Notes:

The Blinds are determined by the size of the game.

An all-in occurs when you do not have enough money to cover the full bet amount, and so place your remaining money into the pot. You then contend for the pot in an amount proportional to what you have contributed. Other players simply create a side pot.

In No Limit Holdem there is no restriction on the betting, you may bet any or all of your chips at any point. However a raise must be clearly signalled prior to placing chips to the centre. And please note that verbal declarations are binding.

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