How To Play Texas Hold’em Poker?

HOW TO PLAY TEXAS HOLD’EM POKER?

The goal of Texas Hold’em poker is making the best five-card hand you can. Using a blend of the two “hole cards” you are dealt and the five community cards on the board. You can utilize one, both, or none of your hole cards while forming your best hand. 

Before the cards are dealt in online poker table, forced bets are made by the first two players to the left of the dealer or dealer button. These players are termed as the blinds. The player to the direct left of the button is the small blind. And the small blind puts out a forced bet at the starting of every hand. This is as good as half the big blind. The ‘big blind’ is the player that is to the instant left of the small blind. And at the starting of every hand the big blind ought to post the larger of the two blinds. 

Dealer deals card

After the blinds have been posted, the dealer now deals the cards one at a time to every player. He begins with the small blind and dealing clockwise until every player has two cards faced down. 

Now, the first betting round starts with the player to the instant left of the big blind. He is also commonly referred to as the player ‘under the gun’ or UTG for short. Every player can fold, call or raise with amounts relying on variation of Texas Hold’em poker that is being played. Any time a raise is made, this is the new minimum bet to call. Or minimum to use when re-raising if applicable. 

If playing No Limit Hold’em, a player ought to meet the minimum bet if calling or if raising, the minimum bet also ought to be used. But at any time, a player can announce ‘All-In’ and move their whole stack into the pot. 

The betting round continues like this until it reaches the small blind. If the bet has not been raised in front, the big blind can check his option. This which means that he or she does not care to raise. But he has already invested the minimum bet and would like to see the flop. 

The betting rounds

After the first betting round, the dealer now deals the flop. This is first 3 of 5 total community cards that players can use to make their poker hand. 

Now, the second betting round will start. This time beginning with small blind or the closest active player to the left of dealer. 

Players will have similar options as they did in the first betting round, except now players can ‘check’ their hand instead of folding, calling or raising. Checking just simply means that you would like to pass on making a bet of any kind. It is possible for all players to check and totally skip a betting round. 

However, if a player wishes to make a bet, the minimum bet ought to be equivalent or higher than the big blind. Then every player who wishes to stay in the hand ought to at least call the raise but if players wish to raise themselves, the previous raise is the new minimum. 

Once betting has reached the dealer button or the last active player closest to the right of the dealer button, then the betting round has been finished. 

After the second betting round, the dealer will now deal the 4th community card which is also known as ‘the turn’ or ‘4th street.’ 

The 3rd betting round will start after the turn with betting round beginning once again with the small blind or the closest active player to the left of the dealer. This betting round is the same as the second betting round with players having the alternative to check, raise, call or fold their hands. 

The River

The last community card known as ‘the river’ is then dealt after the 3rd betting round. Players can use any 5 out of 7 existing cards to make the best hand possible. 

After the river, the 4th and final betting round will now start. This betting round is the same as the second and third betting round with players having the option to check, raise, call or fold their hands. 

Once this betting round has been finished, the remaining players will now flip their cards over and the player with the best hand will take down the pot. 

The dealer button now moves one seat to the left and the action now starts from the top. 

As you can see, learning how to play Texas Hold’em poker only some time. But once you do, you will apprehend that was just the starting and will swiftly understand why it takes a lifetime to master the game. 

Happy playing!