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Texas Hold’em
is the most popular poker game. It is spread at most casinos where
live poker is played and is by far the most popular game in online
poker rooms. The game is thought to have its root in Texas and the
tales says that it begun in an army lodgement where ten players wanted
to participate. Due to the shortage of cards in order to play draw
poker they decided to have a number of community cards. This idea
shaped into what today is called Texas Hold’em or Holdem. The
objective is to make the winning hand combination out of a maximum
of seven cards (your two hole and five community cards). Of course
if everybody folds when you raise before the flop or when you bet
on some of the round you will win regardless of your hand but if there
is a showdown the highest combination of the seven cards will win.
You can make your winning combination by using one, both or none of
your hole so if you have AA and the table is 4,5,6,7,8 you have a
straight. If you have A9 in the same situation you have a 9 high straight
and will thus beat a player with two aces. Frequently you will end
up splitting the pot with one or more other players since the board
itself or in combination with one of your hole cards makes the best
combination.
The number of seats available at a Texas Hold’em table online
usually is for nine or ten, but most sites also provide tables for
five or six players giving you the choice to play fewer opponents.
A button marked ‘D’ is passed around the table indicating
where the next hand is to start.
Starting a new hand – Blind Posting
The new hand starts with the posting of blinds. The responsibility
to post the blinds rotates round the table at the two positions
left to the dealers. The small blind posted by the player directly
to the left of the dealer button (usually half the value of a small
bet) and the big blind (the value of the big bet). In $10-$20 Texas
Hold’em the small blind is $5 and the big blind $10.
Hole Cards are dealt
Each Player participating in the hand receives to hole cards also
called pocket cards. The first two cards are very important in Hold’em
and decide together with a number of other factors how you should
continue. The best possible hand dealt is AA also called pocket
rockets or American airlines. Possible actions (limited depending on previous action during the round is to: call, raise, reraise or fold
The Flop
When all the betting is done in this round referred to as the ‘Pre
Flop’ round the flop is dealt. Three cards are dealt from
the deck and placed on the middle of the table. Together with your
pocket cards that makes five cards and you will now have a good
indication whether or not you have a good hand. With two pocket
aces and two aces in the flop you are in a very good shape but in
many situations the judgements will be more complex. Depending on
the flop you can again choose to:
- check, call ,raise, reraise or fold
During the two first rounds bets are made according to the small
bet in limit games; the next two round the bets will increase to
the big bet.
The turn
A fourth card is added to the board called the turn. Again players
may check, call, fold, bet, raise or reraise depending on the action
in the betting round.
The river
The fifth and last card, the river is placed on the middle of the
table and the final betting round takes place. Again players may
check, call, fold, bet, raise and reraise depending on the action
in the round.
The showdown
If more than one player is left after the last betting round a showdown
takes place where the remaining players show their cards. The winning
player or players will win the pot.
Variations
Big river Texas Hold'em is played is played exactly the same way until
the last card, the river is dealt. During this final round the bet
size can be increased up to five times. At Big Bet offering this
variation the bets the last round is either a usuall big bet whilst
Victorias Poker offers a spread limit structure this hand up to
a maximum of five times the big bet.
You can play Texas Holdem for free at Party Poker. By using th signup code YOUR100BONUS (20% extra up to $100) or 50GET75 (Deposit 50 get 25 extra) you will get a bonus if you decide to play for real money. The 20% is offered automatically if you use this link for download.
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