The Game.

Texas Hold'em Poker is a game that is quick to learn and is the most popular of Poker games.

A single deck of cards is used for this game. The bsaic principle behind Texas Hold'em is that each player gets only two cards (which only they can see) These are called the hole cards. The winner of a hand is the player who can put together the best 5 card poker hand with a combination of there own two cards (hole cards) and of the 5 cards that are layed on the table during a hand , these are known as the Community Cards.

Not all cards are dealt at once. First each player is dealt his or her own two cards (hole cards), everyone is then given the opportunity to to bet accordingly to what they expect they will be able to form with cards dealt later as Community cards. This is known as the first round of betting. After the first round of betting is completed one card is dealt face down in the middle of the table ( This is a burnt card and will take no further part in play). Then the first three community cards are dealt face up on to the table, this is known as "The Flop" . The players now know a little bit more about how useful there own Hole cards might be and a second round of betting is held. After which another card is burnt and the forth card is dealt face up to the community cards, ( This is known as "The Turn" or "Forth Street"). This is followed by another round of betting, a final card is burnt and the fifth community card known as "The River" With all five community cards now on the table a final round of betting takes place, upon completion of this the players reveal there Hole Cards and the winner is the player with the strongest hand.

Betting

Betting is always done in clockwise order. The first person to act is the one sitting to the left hand side of the player who deals the cards, They must place a small blind bet on the table,(this is a preset amount decided by the table to ensure play in each hand , this will increase during a tournament as it progressess.)The next player to the left places a big blind on the table ( This is Double the small blind). The remaining players at the table then have a choice, They can Fold there cards and take no further part in the hand, Call the previous bet by matching the bet, or Raise the bet, when the betting gets round to the player who layed the big blind, they can if no- one has raised the bet Check there bet at which point the community cards will be dealt, Subsequent rounds of betting continue in a similar fashion. The player who placed the big blind starts the next round of betting, if this player has folded the first player to his left who remains in the hand bets first.

After each finished hand the Dealer position (The Button) is moved one seat clockwise.

Holdem Hand Ratings