Texas Hold ’em is the most popular type of poker played. The World Series of Poker online on ESPN displays Texas Hold ’em games. Having a basic knowledge of what poker hands beat which is a must before playing Hold ’em. Assuming you know the basics of poker Texas Hold ’em is not much different then regular poker. This is how you play a basic game of Hold ’em: So relax, sit down and learn how to master the game of Texas Hold’em.
Step 1: Shuffle a standard deck of 52 cards. Before dealing or cutting takes place, you must first decide if you are going to play an for ante or small and big blinds. Ante is a standard number like 1 dollar that all players must put in before the hand is dealt. If you choose to play small and big blinds, you must decide what number will be the minimum bet. Taking 1 dollar as the minimum again, the player to the left of the dealer puts in half of the minimum (50 cents) this is the small blind. The person to the left of the small blind puts in the full minimum of 1 dollar, this person is the big blind.
Step 2: Have the person to the right cut the deck or they can pass. Now the dealer gives each person 1 card in a clockwise fashion (deal to your left), and then a second card both of which are face down. All players may look at their cards but not show them to another player. Now each person has the option to fold, check or bet. Each player must match the minimum bet (1 dollar in this case). Players may choose to get rid of their cards and not play (fold), check if they’ve already bet (the big blind in this case.) or they may choose to bet a certain amount of money. The person to the left of the big blind goes first, and play proceeds clockwise until the person with the big blind is reached. He may either choose to check or raise. Three sets of raises are commonly all that’s allowed.
Step 3: Now the dealer takes the top card of the deck and removes it. Placing the card face down away from the other cards (this is called burning a card). Then he takes the top 3 cards and places them face up next to the deck. This is called The Flop.
Step 4: Another round of betting takes place after the flop. Players may choose to check, fold or bet.
Step 5: The dealer again takes the top card off the deck placing face down away from the other cards. This time he only takes 1 card and places it face up next to the already 3 face up cards. This is called The Turn.
Step 6: Betting again takes place. Players may choose to check, fold or bet.
Step 7: The dealer takes another card off the top of the deck placing it face down away from the other cards. He takes the top card and places it face up along side the other 4 cards. This is called The River.
Step 8: Betting takes place after the river for the last time. Players may choose to check, fold or bet. Each player may only use 5 cards to make a hand, and must announce their hand upon turning over their cards. The person who bet last is the first to turn over. Whoever has the highest hand wins.
