Texas Holdem
Holdem Introduction
If you want to play poker, you should start with Texas Holdem.
This is an easy-to-learn poker game, ideal for beginners.
Texas Holdem is also the most popular game played in the
casinos, and in the World Series of Poker. Texas Holdem is
easier to learn compared to other poker games such as Omaha
High or 7-card stud. In these games the possibilities of
calculating odds are much more than in Holdem, making the
games more complicated. In fact, you can start playing Texas
Holdem with a few hours of practice. Many poker
professionals prefer to play Texas Holdem. This is because
the house edge in Holdem is very low. The house edge is the
difference between the true odds and the odds that the
casino pays the player when he wins a poker game.
So how is Texas Holdem
played?
Texas Holdem can be played
between 2-22 players using a deck of 52 cards. However, it
is generally played between 2 and 10 people. In most Texas
Holdem games, two players to the left of the dealer put a
predetermined amount of money into the pot before any cards
are dealt. This is called 'posting the blinds' and ensures
that there is something to play for on every hand. Usually
the 'first blind' (the player immediately to the left of the
dealer) puts up half the minimum bet, and the 'second blind'
puts up the full minimum bet. The dealer then deals two
cards face down, called 'hole cards,' to each player. This
is followed by a round of betting. The betting begins with
the player to the left of the two who posted the blinds.
After this round, the dealer 'burns' a card, i.e., discards
the top card of the deck.
This is to ensure that no one who
has accidentally seen the top card gets any undue advantage.
The dealer then flips the next three cards face up on the
poker table. These cards are called the 'flop.' This is
followed by a round of betting, beginning with the player to
the left of the dealer. After this betting round the dealer
burns another card. He then flips one more card face up onto
the table. This is called the 'turn' or 'Fourth Street.' The
betting round that follows begins with the player to the
left of the dealer. The dealer burns another card and places
the card final face up on the table.
This is called the
'river' or 'Fifth Street.' Players can now use the seven
cards -- the five community cards and the two hole cards --
to form the best possible 5-card poker hand. The final round
of betting now starts with the player to the left of the
dealer. After the betting all the players who remain in the
game reveal their hands. The player who made the initial bet
or the player who made the last raise shows their hand
first. The player with the best hand wins.
How are poker hands
ranked?
A poker hand consists of five
cards. Poker hands are ranked high to low in the following
order: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
There are 2,598,960 distinct 5-card hands. Suits are not
ranked. The poker hands from highest to lowest category are:
Royal Flush: The best possible hand (Ace, King, Queen, Jack
and 10, all of the same suit). Straight Flush: This is
formed by five cards of the same suit in sequence (for
example, 8, 9, 10, Jack and Queen of hearts; or 2, 3, 4, 5
and 6 of clubs). Four of a kind: Four cards of the same
value, such as four queens.
The fifth card can be anything.
Full House: Three of a kind combined with a pair (for
example, 10, 10, 10 with 6, 6; or Queen, Queen, Queen with
8, 8). Flush: Formed by any five cards of the same suit, but
not in sequence (for example, 4, 5, 7, 10 and King of
clubs). Straight: Five cards in sequence, but not of the
same suit (for example, 7 of clubs, 8 of clubs, 9 of
diamonds, 10 of spades and Jack of diamonds).
Three of a
Kind: Three cards of the same value (for example, 3, 3, 3;
or Jack, Jack, Jack). Two Pair: A poker hand formed by two
separate pairs (for example, 4, 4, King, King). Pair: Formed
by two cards of the same value (for example, 5, 5). High
Card: Contains none of the above combinations and is valued
by the highest card in it.
