How To Play Texas Hold’em Poker

Whilst the game of poker has spawned an infinite number of imitations, spin offs and variations to the original, there can be no denying that Texas Hold ‘em remains the most well known of them all.

Often called “The Cadillac of poker”, Hold’em is the form of poker you’re most likely to see on television, and the type you’re most likely to plan in tournaments, both online and offline, so let’s take a look at how it’s played.

To begin with, every player will be given two hole cards (face down), then community cards which anyone can use area dealt face up in the middle of the table. There are four rounds of betting as these cards are being dealt, and the winner is the player with the best 5 card hand at the showdown (after all the betting). However, if every other player at the table folds their cards because they don’t want to match your bet at any point, you win and collect the money in the pot without even having to show your cards!

Every hand that is dealt will involve two blinds, small and large made by the players to the left of the dealer. Them the hole cards are dealt and there is a round of betting. Once all players have either matched the current bet, or folded their hands, the flop is dealt…

The dealer places first of the three community cards face up in the middle of the table, this is known as the flop. This is then followed by another round of betting.

The dealer then deals the fourth community card (the turn) and again there is a round of betting.

Finally the fifth community card (the river) is dealt, and there is a final round of betting before the showdown.

Whenever it is your turn to act, you have three choices. Depending on the strength of your own hand, the size of the pot and any current raise, what you think your opponents might be holding and a number of other factors, you can choose to call, raise or fold. If there has been no bet before you, you can choose to check. This means you don’t want to bet, and the action moves to the next player. If there has been a bet ebfore you then a call means you match the bet, a raise means you increase the bet, and a fold means you have to put no more money in the pot but you can no longer win the hand.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? Well, as the saying goes, Hold’em is a game which takes a minute to learn, and a lifetime to master. The intricacies of the game from position to tells, from stack sizes to implied to odds and all the other factors are what makes the game fun to play, and profitable for those skilled enough to play it well. The only way you can improve is to practice, and study, so what are you waiting for…