Texas Holdem is still the most popular poker variant on the planet. Prestigious tournaments with mind-boggling prize pools are one of the most appealing things about the game.
So, how can you get started learning how to play Texas Holdem poker?
888poker makes it easy to learn basic Texas Holdem rules, using the 7 simple steps below:
There are several basic rules to this poker format that you should know:
Newbie Tip: Check out the table position names, as these will affect your actions both pre and post-flop. In general, the closer you are to the Button, the more hands you can play.
All players receive two face-down cards in the pre-flop round. (This round occurs before the first 3 (called the Flop) of 3 community cards.) Only one player can act at a time, beginning with the player left of the big blind.
That Under-the-Gun player can take one of the following three actions –
The action moves clockwise around the table. Each player has the same available options. With no prior raise, the Big Blind can also check.
When all players have acted, and the pot is correct, the betting round ends.
Newbie Tip: Make sure that you know when it’s your time to act. Online you can set your PC sound levels, so you don’t get timed out and fold a winner!
As soon as the pre-flop betting round ends, the post-flop action begins.
Three cards - called the Flop - are dealt face up in the centre of the table.
Betting options and rules are almost precisely the same as pre-flop.
Players can take the following actions –
The first player to act post-flop is the first player with a hand to the left of the dealer button.
Newbie Tip: It can take a bit of time to know whether to check, bet, call, raise or fold post-flop. But the more flops you see, the sooner you'll get a feel for it.
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Once all players have had their chance to act post-flop, the next card to be dealt is called the Turn.
This round of betting has the same rules and options as the previous ones.
Players can exercise one of the following five options –
Hopefully, you will “turn” one of the top hands in the standard Texas Hold’em Poker Hand Rankings chart. (See section 7 below)
Now you could find yourself on the way to winning a monster pot!
Newbie Tip: The Turn is where your hand is either made or very far behind. You should evaluate where you stand before chasing that river card to win.
The next community card dealt out is called the River. In all previous rounds of betting, you had the possibility of improving your hand.
But this round is different.
The River is the fifth and final of the five community cards.
But players still have the following five options –
Next up is the final and most exciting step. You get to find out if you’ll be dragging the pot or mucking your hand!
Newbie Trivia: The River card possibly gets its name from Stud Poker Games - a poker format played on the Mississippi Riverboats in the 1800s.
Newbie Tip: Also, the River is your final stab and making a winning hand. So, make sure you get there with only your best made hands and/or draws.
The Showdown is one of the tensest and most exciting stages of the game.
At this point, if at least two players remain, the winner must show their hand to win the pot.
The player with the best 5-card poker hand wins - per the rankings listed in Step 7.
With no more betting rounds left, that player with the best five-card hand scoops the lot!
Fingers crossed, that's you
If that’s not you, the good news is that another poker hand is on the way!
Hey, you never know; the next hand could be the one that rakes you in a big pot!
Newbie Tip: Make sure you read your 5-card hand correctly at Showdown. Once you’ve made the call or raise, you can’t take it back – even if you misread your hand!
Bluffing and mind games aside, you'll still have to form the strongest 5-card hand possible to win at Showdown.
Players can use their two hole cards along with 3 of the 5 community cards (cards dealt in the middle of the table available for all players to use). They can also use any mix of 5-cards.
When players have the same hand, their other cards or “kickers” come into play.
See chart for the complete list of Poker Hand Rankings
Newbie Tip: Knowing what hand beats what will help you figure out what to do at Showdown (when the winner is announced). If you’re sure that you have the winner – bet or raise for value. If not, you might have to make a “hero call” or even make that tough fold.
The Texas Holdem is a popular version of poker played with one regular 52-card deck. Each player receives 2 private (hole) cards plus there are five community cards dealt face up. The aim of the game is for each player to make the best hand of five cards, using any combination of their own hole cards and the shared community cards. The player with the highest-ranking hand wins the prize pool – the pot.
In Texas Holdem the best hand to start with, i.e. the best combination of hole cards to receive, are two aces, known as ‘pocket aces’. Statistically this hand has the highest chance of beating any other starting hands.
Using basic poker strategies when you play Texas Holdem will undoubtably improve your game. One of the first strategies you should use is understanding the potential of your hole cards. Generally speaking, playing fewer hands but playing them more aggressively is a useful poker strategy.
As the game progresses, more useful strategies include betting aggressively and always paying attention to your opponents, trying to identify when they are bluffing observing their betting patterns. Similarly, you will also need to develop a good bluffing strategy. It’s also to know when it’s time to fold. Don’t be afraid to fold after the flop – the strength of your hand will change as the game moves forward and you should be reactive to this, either folding, or betting more aggressively depending on your hand, the community cards, and other player’s behaviour.
In limit Texas Holdem, the amount that players can raise by is limited - this is usually a pot limit - i.e. players cannot raise by an amount larger than what is currently in the pot. There are sometimes fixed betting amounts as well as restrictions on the amount of raises that can be made. However, in No-Limit Texas Holdem, players can bet or raise by any amount at any stage of the game – as long as they have that amount of chips with which to make the raise. This tends to result in a more aggressive game, with players able to make large raises and go ‘all in’.
Playing online Texas Holdem tends to be a much faster game with more hands dealt, compared to playing at the live poker tables. Whilst there is more atmosphere and occasion to bluff(and all other players bluffs’ ) in live Texas Holdem, in online poker players need to rely more on observing betting patterns. Online poker also enables you to play at several tables at once and is often preferred by newer players who feel less intimidated when playing online.
Without the advantage of physically sitting in the same room as your opponent’s when playing poker online, the best way to read the other players in the game is to pay attention to their betting patterns and also how long it takes them to make decisions. You want to be able to identify your opponents tendencies and habits.
One of the most important ways to improve your online poker skills is to practice regularly. Also, take time to learn and study poker strategy through the main resources available such as videos, online forums, books and so on. Analyzing and reviewing games is also a great way to improve your online Texas Holdem skills.
Knowing the number of betting rounds in Texas Holdem poker isn't all there is to the game.
It is essential to understand that there are three major betting structures:
This betting structure is the most common in Texas Hold'em. Players can bet or raise in all their chips (known as going all-in). The minimum raise must equal the previous bet or raise. If the raiser has fewer chips than the minimum, they would be all-in.
And, if another player wants to raise again (called a 3bet), they must raise at least the amount of the previous raise. It can get a little confusing and intimidating. But in online poker, the numbers are all worked out for you.
In Fixed Limit Texas Hold’em Poker games, you can only bet a set amount at any one time. You can raise a set number of times per street (flop, turn and river). The raises are typically set at a maximum of four per street.
Pre-flop and post-flop, the bet amount is called the Small Bet. The fixed bet post-turn and post-river is usually double the Small Bet and is referred to as the Big Bet. This format is excellent for beginner players are there is a maximum amount you cane wager/risk.
In Pot-Limit Hold'em, players may bet or raise any amount over the minimum raise, up to the current pot size (known as betting pot). A pot raise amount is the current size of the pot, plus the current bet amount, plus your call of that bet amount.
For example, say the pot is $100, and the current bet is $25. The pot raise would be $100 (pot size) + $25 (bet) + $25 (call) = $150. You can raise to that amount, plus an additional $25 for your call, making a total of $175.
Luckily for you, when playing pot-limit games online, the calculations are done automatically. You can raise pot at the click of a button!
You can also use the pre-set BET/RAISE buttons to create customised raise amounts in one click. So, there’s no need to fiddle with keys, sliders or do complicated calculations to get the bet/raise percentages you want!
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For official Texas Holdem rules to the game, including all terms and conditions, please click here.
