Play Texas Holdem Poker Now - Texas Holdem Rules

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Texas Holdem Rules

Texas Holdem is the most popular game played in online and offline casino poker rooms. Although deceptively simple, playing with experts requires a great deal of skill. Typically played with nine or ten players to a table it is faster passed and more action than stud or most other games. No limit Texas Holdem is the true Cadillac of poker and is used to determine the world champion of poker at the world series of poker.

When it comes to playing Texas Holdem, there are 3 types of games with different betting types:

	Limit – There is a specific betting limit for each game played and each round. For example a $.50/$1.00 has a $.50 Blind, the first round of betting and raises is $.50 and the subsequent rounds are upped to $1.00 bets.

	Pot Limit – Players can bet a maximum, equal to the total pot at the time of their bet.

	No Limit – Players can bet as much as they have on the table at the time of the bet.

Here's how Texas Holdem is played:

How texas Holdem, texas hold em is played - initiated by dealer

Typically, players sit around a poker table; a dealer is marked with a small “D”. Action is always initiated by the dealer and continues in clock like manner.

texas Holdem, texas hold em - blind bets, small and big

When playing Texas Holdem, before cards are dealt, the first two players to the left of the dealer are required to post blind bets. Small Blind (SB) and Big Blind (BB) are forced bets and used to stimulate some action and get the game going.

The small blind (to the dealers left) places a bet equal to half the smallest structured bet, and the big blind (to the small blinds left) places a bet equal to the smallest structured bet.

texas Holdem, texas hold em - Pocket cards

Each Texas Holdem player is then dealt two cards face down, with the player on the small blind receiving the first card and the player with the dealer button receiving the last card. These cards are typically called “pocket cards”.

texas Holdem, texas hold em - Raise, Fold, Call

The first betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind. Each player has the following options:

	RAISE – Increase the amount wagered by an amount equal to your opponents bet.
	FOLD - Throw in their hand and relinquish her interest in the pot. CALL – To equalize the amount wagered by putting the amount of money wagered into the pot.

Once again, betting continues in a clockwise manner .

texas Holdem, texas hold em - flop, active player

After the first round of betting is complete 3 cards are dealt and turned face up in the middle of the table. This is known as the “flop.” These are community cards used by the players. Another betting round begins with the first active player (player still left in the game) to the left of the dealer button.

texas Holdem, texas hold em - face up, turn

When the betting round after the flop is completed, a fourth card is tuned face up in the middle of the table. This is referred to as the “turn”. Once again, betting begins with the first active player to the left of the dealer button

texas Holdem, texas hold em - fifth and final card, River

Following the betting round for the turn, the fifth and final card is turned face up in the middle of the table. This is referred to as the “River” and the final betting round begins with the first player to the left of the dealer button.

texas Holdem, texas hold em - 2 hole cards, highest cards

Once the final betting round is complete the remaining players must show their cards to see who wins the pot. To determine the winner, the players may use any combination of their two hole cards (either one or both) and the five cards on the table to form the highest cards on the board. (Click here for hand rankings).

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