Learn to play Poker

TEXAS HOLD'EM

STEP BY STEP

Dealer

The dealer is the player who gets his cards at the end, and he is usually marked with a dealer button. The position of the dealer button keeps rotating clockwise after each hand.

Blind Bets

In order to set the game going, poker games force players to place blind bets. Placing a blind bet refers to the placement of a bet by a player even before he gets his pocket cards. In poker games there are two blind bets that have to be placed by the two players sitting to the left of the dealer. The person sitting to the immediate left of the dealer places the 'small blind', while the player seated to his left places the 'big blind' which is always equal to the minimum amount of bet. Generally, 'big blind' is double the amount of the 'small blind'.

1st Round – Preflop

Once the blind bets have been placed, the first round of the game goes forward and in clockwise order each player is dealt with two cards usually termed as 'pocket cards' or 'hole cards'.

Now players have to analyze their cards and make the decision whether to bet or to sit out the round. Players do not have the option to 'Check' in the first round, and the available actions are Bet, Call, Raise or Fold. In order for the game to proceed, each player has to place a bet for the same amount. If one player chooses to raise the bet, then others either have to Call or to Re-raise or to 'Fold' their cards, which would result in them not participating in that round.



2nd Round – The Flop:

After the first round has been successfully done, now comes the turn to place the three community cards on the table with their faces up. This stage is also called 'the flop'. After the flop, each player keeps a close eye on his pocket cards and tries to create a favorable hand with the flop.

Now the second round of betting is commenced as the player seated to the left of the dealer has to make the move. Once again each player can Call or Raise or Check or Fold and for the rest of the round the same rules will be followed as in the first round.


3rd Round – The Turn:

After the end of the second round, a fourth community card is placed on the table, also known as the Turn. At this stage each player has a total of six cards available. After the Turn the fourth round of betting starts.



4th Round – The River:

Before the players can start betting for the fourth time, the fifth community card is placed, which is also called the River. Up till this stage the game usually gets very interesting with at least a couple of players folding on the way through, and the rest fighting closely against each other. After the last community card is dealt the final round of betting takes place.



The Showdown:

At the end each player has to come up with the best five-card hand out of the two poker cards and the five community cards. If a player has failed to form a worthwhile hand with the help of his pocket cards, then he can 'play the board' which means that he can use the five community cards to form his hand. After five rounds of fierce competition, each player shows his hand and the player with the best hand wins the pot.



If a player finds that the already shown hands are better than his, then he can choose not to show his hand at all.