How to Play - Texas Hold'em
Texas Hold’em, christened the 'cadillac of poker' rose to promienence in the 1970's when it was featured as the title game in the World Series of Poker. Today, Texas Hold’em is indisputably the most frequently played and most popular poker game in the world, played in casinos and on home game tables the world over.
Two cards are dealt face down to each player. Before or while they are being dealt, the player to the dealer's left makes the pre-determined "small blind" bet. See "Blind Bets" below for details. This is immediately followed by the player to the left of the 'small blind' making the "big blind" bet.
The player to the left of the 'big blind' is the first player permitted to look at his or her hand before making a betting decision. That player can see the big blind and call, see the big blind and raise, or fold. The rest of the betting round conducts itself as a regular poker betting round, with the opening bet to call, raise, or fold being the big blind's.
When the betting round reaches the small blind, it must be noted that that player has already invested a sum of money into this betting round. Technically, it was the small blind that opened this betting round by making the initial (albeit, blind) bet. Whatever the amount of the betting round when it reaches the small blind, the amount of the small blind bet is what that player has already invested into this betting round.
The same goes for the big blind. If nobody bumps the bet after the big blind, then the big blind owes nothing, as this was the player that made the last bet. It must be noted, however, that contrary to regular poker betting, if nobody bumps the bet after the big blind, the big blind owes nothing BUT is still allowed the option to bump the betting round when it reaches him or her. If the big blind declines from bumping, then the betting round is over.
The top three cards from the deck are flipped face up in the center of the table. The small blind opens a second betting round, which proceeds as a regular poker betting round.
The top card from the deck is flipped face up in the center of the table as the fourth community card. The small blind opens a third betting round, which proceeds as a regular betting round.
The top card from the deck is flipped face up in the center of the table as the fifth and final community card. The small blind opens a fourth and final betting round, which proceeds as a regular betting round. After this betting round, players make their best five card hands using the two cards in their hand and the five community cards in the center of the table.
The player who assembles the best 5 card hand wins the pot. In the event two or more players assemble the same valued hand, the pot is divided equally among the winners.
Hands may contain any combination of the following:
A. Both of the player's hole cards plus any three cards from the community board.
B. One of the player's hole cards plus any four cards from the community board.
C. None of the player's hole cards and all five cards from the community board.
Small Blind
The small blind is half the size of a full minimum bet.
Big Blind
The big blind is equal to a full minimum bet.
Example:
If the big blind was $2 and the small blind was $1, the player in the small blind would open with $1 and have to pay $1 to stay in the hand.
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