Texas Hold ‘Em is a type of poker game for two to ten players. This 7-card
game is one of the most popular worldwide forms of poker, with
straightforward rules and quick game play. Additionally, Texas Hold ‘Em has
received a great deal of television coverage over the last decade or so,
including major tournaments from the World Poker Tour and the annual Las
Vegas World Series of Poker. Furthermore, the majority of online poker sites
provide the opportunity for players to practice the game without losing any
money, along with the alternative of competing anonymously for real cash.
Some online sites provide an entry route into large tournaments, such as the
World Series of Poker via smaller “satellite” tournaments. Indeed, the
winners of the 2003 and 2004 World Series No Limit Hold ‘Em Main Event, the
aptly-named Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, qualified for the event by
playing in this very type of tournament.
Summary of Play
Each hand of Texas Hold’Em consists of up to four rounds of betting. The
game uses the concept of obligatory “blind” bets to ensure that there is
always an initial contribution to the pot and hence someone playing in every
hand. The 2 players to the left of the dealer have put money into the pot
before they see their first two cards, hence the name “blind.” The player to
the immediate left of the dealer posts the “small blind” bet, which is ½ the
value of the minimum table stake. The next player contributes the “big
blind,” which is equivalent to the minimum table stake. When only two
players remain in a game, special “heads up” rules apply and the blinds are
posted differently, with the dealer posting the small blind and their
opponent posting the big blind. After the placing of the blind bets, each
player receives two, face-down “hole cards,” which are seen only by that
player. A further 5 face-up “community cards” are dealt in the middle of the
table and are available to all the players. Players must use any combination
of their 2 hole cards and the 5 community cards to compile the best possible
5-card hand. The player creating the highest ranking 5-card hand wins the
pot.
Poker Hands and Rankings
The 5-card hands available in Texas Hold ‘Em are shown below, in ascending
order of rank:
High Card: A hand containing 5 cards of different denominations, which is
neither a straight nor a flush. For example, A♠, 3♥, 5♠,
9♦, J♣ is known as “Ace High.”
Pair: A hand containing two cards of the same denomination, for example, 8,
8, X, X, X.
Two Pair: A hand containing 2 pairs of different values, for example, 7, 7,
8, 8, X.
Three of a Kind: A hand containing 3 cards of the same denomination.
Straight: A hand containing 5 cards with consecutive values, regardless of
the suit of each.
Flush: A hand containing 5 cards of the same suit, regardless of their
value.
Full House: A hand containing 3 cards of one denomination and a par of cards
of another value.
Four of a Kind: A hand containing 4 cards of the same denomination.
Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit of which a “Royal
Flush,” comprising Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10 is the best possible poker
hand.
How to Play Texas Hold ‘Em Online
Casinos have a designated dealer who physically distributes the cards, but
this is obviously impossible in the online version of the game. A small
disc, known as the “dealer button,” indicates the player that would be the
dealer if the deal progressed clockwise during the game. The position of the
dealer button is important as it dictates which players are responsible for
posting the blind bets. Additionally, the dealer has the significant
advantage of the last action in any round of betting.
The Hole Cards
2 face-down hole cards are dealt to each player, clockwise, starting with
the player immediately to the left of the big blind. That player has first
action in the initial betting round. Each player must call the big blind, at
least, in order to remain in the hand. During this first betting round, no
player may call or raise a sum less than the value of the big blind.
The Flop
Once the opening betting round is completed, the first 3 “community cards,”
known as the “flop” are dealt, face-up, into the middle of the table. The
second round of betting is initiated by the first remaining active player to
the left of the dealer. Betting continues clockwise, with each active player
taking the action they consider appropriate.
The Turn
At the conclusion of the flop round, a 4th community card, the “turn” card,
is dealt, face-up, in the centre of the table. As previously, the first
active player to the left of the dealer opens the betting, which continues
clockwise, as before.
The River
The dealing of the 5th community card, the “river” card, sees the start of
the fourth and final round of betting. Again, this starts with the first
active player to the left of the dealer, continuing clockwise round the
table.
In any of the betting rounds, a player with insufficient chips to call an
earlier player’s bet may go “All In,” wagering all their on-table chips. If
there is further betting and the All In player wins the hand, the pot is
split with the player holding the next best hand who remained in the
betting.
The Showdown
When the final round of betting reaches its conclusion, assuming more than
one player remains active, there is a “Showdown” to determine the winner
with the highest ranking 5-card hand. It is common for players to have
closely-ranked, but not identical hands. For hands involving less than the
full 5 cards, such as two pair or 3 of a kind, kickers are used to resolve
ties. The hand with the kicker(s) of the highest numerical value (suits are
irrelevant) wins. If two or more players have identical winning hands, the
pot is split equally between them.
