Basics of Playing Texas Hold’em Poker

Texas Hold’em is the most popular form of Poker. It is very easy to learn as long as you are interested and you can become a winning player. In playing the Texas hold’em poker, be sure to prepare the poker table, a 52-card deck, chips, several players from 2 to 20 players and a dealer button.

The two players to the left of the dealer put out blind bets.  The first player directly to the dealer's left puts out the small blind while the second player to the dealer's left puts out the big blind.  Then every player is dealt two cards called pocket cards, they are facing down.  The one who will move first is the player to the left of the big blind.  She can call the bet, raise it, or fold.  The betting continues around the table in a clockwise rotation.  After the betting is completed, three cards are dealt face up in the center of the table.  These first three cards in Texas Hold'em poker are called the flop.  In addition, everyone can use them in combination with their own hole cards to make the best hand.  Then betting begins with the player to the dealer’s left, who can check or bet.  A fourth card called Fourth Street or the turn card is dealt face up onto the table called the board.  Then another round of betting.  The final card called Fifth Street or the river is dealt face up.  A final round of betting is done and the remaining players show their cards.  The person who can make the best five cards hand by combining their pocket cards with the cards on the board wins.

Poker hands are ranked from the strongest to the weakest.  First is the Royal Flush, example of this is ace, king, queen, jack and 10 all of the same suit.  Next is Straight Flush, example is 2,3,4,5 and 6 of hearts or any five-card sequence of the same suit.  Next is the Four of a Kind, example 5,5,5 and 5 or any four cards of the same value.  Next is Full House, example 8,8,8 with 9,9 or any three of a kind combined with a pair.  Next is Flush, example 4,6,8,10 and Jack of hearts or any five cards of the same suit, but not in sequence.  Next is Straight, example 2 of clubs, 3 of hearts, 4 of spade, 5 of diamonds and 6 of clubs or any five cards in sequence, but not in the same suit.  Next is Three of a Kind, example 2,2,2 or ant three cards of the same value.  Next is Two Pair, 5,5 or any two separate pairs.  Next is Pair, example 9,9 or any two cards of the same value.  Last is the High Card, if a Poker hand contains none of the above combinations, the highest card in it values it.