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Texas Hold'em Rules
Texas Hold'em is a seven-card poker game with simple rules that a beginner
can easily master and begin to play right away. In spite of its simplicity,
it is a fast and complex game that takes skill and practice to master.
Texas Hold'em uses a disc called a dealer button to indicate where the
cards are to be dealt. Prior to the deal, the two players to the left
of the button place live bets called the small and big blinds. It is
called a blind because players must pay this amount before seeing their
cards. It's called live because it counts as part of any further bets
in the first betting round. The play begins with two cards dealt facedown
to each player. Action starts with a betting round beginning with the
player to the left of the blind bets and continuing clockwise around
the table. Players may bet, check, raise or fold in turn. The big blind
has the privilege of last action and may check or raise the bet.
Three community cards called "The Flop" are then dealt up
in the center of the table and another betting round takes place beginning
with the player to the left of the dealer button. Another card is dealt
face up (called "The Turn") followed by a round of betting.
The fifth and last card called "The River" is dealt face up
and a final round of betting takes place.
Players remaining in the hand will then show their cards and the winning
poker hand will be awarded the pot. Any combination of pocket cards
and community cards may be used to make the best five-card poker hand.
Sit Down
Up to 10 players are seated around a table.
Dealer Button
In front of one of the players is a round disc or button. This disc
determines the order of betting (posting the blinds) and moves to the
left one player at a time, after each hand.
Post Blinds
Before the cards are dealt at the beginning of each hand, the two players
directly to the left of the dealer button must post "blinds".
To post a blind is to place a bet before getting cards. The player to
the immediate left of the dealer button posts the "small blind,"
equal to half of the minimum bet (Example: £5/$5 for a 10-20 game).
The player to the left of the small blind posts the "big blind,"
equal to the amount of the minimum bet (Example: £10/$10 for a
10-20 game).
Pocket Cards
Once the blinds have been posted, the first round of cards is dealt.
These consist of two cards face down to each player and are called the
"pocket cards". Each player can see his or her own pocket
cards. Then the first round of betting takes place, beginning with the
player immediately to the left of the big blind and continuing in a
clockwise direction around the table.
Betting
Bet amounts are fixed by the table stakes. For example, in a 3/6 table,
bets are £3/$3 in the first two rounds and £6/$6 in the
last two. The bet amount can climb a maximum of 3 times in each round
of betting. In other words, there can be one bet and three raises in
each round.
The Flop Cards
Next, three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. These
cards are called the "Flop". All three cards are "community"
cards and can be used by all the players at the table to make up their
best possible hand. After the flop is dealt, a second round of betting
takes place, again beginning with the player immediately to the left
of the dealer button. All subsequent rounds of betting begin with the
player to left of the dealer button.
The Turn Card
Following the flop, a fourth "community" card is dealt face
up in the middle of the table. This card is called the "Turn"
card and can also be used by all players. It is followed by a third
round of betting.
The River Card
Finally, a fifth and final "community" card is dealt face
up in the middle of the table. It is called the "River" card
and is followed by a fourth and final round of betting.
Showdown
Once all betting is complete, players determine the best five-card
hand that they can make. The player with the best five-card poker hand
wins the pot.
Start Again
After a hand is completed and the pot taken by the winner, the dealer
button is moved one player to the left and the next hand begins.
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