The Basics Of Playing Texas Hold em Poker

For some time Texas holdem has held its own as the utmost popular poker game of these all for beginners and experts alike. This is undoubtedly due to the easy learning the overall game because of its simple rules. But the easy part stops here and the cause of its appeal to all degrees of players becomes clear. The strategies in Texas Hold'em are so complex and sophisticated that it can take a player decades to conquer them, and possibly not even then. So for you newcomers starting to learn and people of you are more than beginners looking to improve your skills, I offer this brief outline of the game's central core.

Nuts and Bolts of Texas hold em Play

No more than ten players can play the game and it begins by most of them drawing for the deal where the high card wins. There are many games, though, where the house specifies dealer, which means this dealer draw is not always present. Regardless, the dealer is known as the "button" and is last in the betting round to act. First up may be the "small blind" who is the one next to the button and he starts by anteing half of the limit amount. Next comes the big blind followed closely by the other players. The button or last position is coveted because he has a clear observation of all the players raises and re-raises which gives him valuable information regarding his opponents' hands.

In limit poker, the players can call, fold or raise on the ante bet up to your house limit while in no-limit they can do the same depending on simply how much they want to purchase their hand. Even in no-limit though, it is not rare to encounter a residence limit of three raises per betting round. Also with the no-limit format, a player can go all in raising the bet to the extent of his current stack and pot-limit allows players to improve to the extent of the value of the cash in the pot.

Usually the player not used to the game will start out with limit poker, then as he gains experience and expertise will move on to the no-limit games. Interestingly, should all players but one fold on a raise, that remaining player "wins blind" and takes the pot no matter what he's holding in his hand. Should this not be the case, the winner is the holder of the best 5-card hand assembled from his hole cards and town cards. The rankings of the hands are as follows from highest to lowest: royal straight flush, straight flush, four of a sort, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, bandarq and a pair and a high card.

The Play of the overall game

To begin the game the players are dealt two hole cards followed by the first round of betting and the flop. The flop is dealt face up and becomes part of the community cards. In virtually any betting around the players have the option of folding, calling or raising up to the limit of whatever type of game it's. The best starting hand in Texas holdem is two aces, the worst is an unsuited 2-7.

After the dealer shows the players the three community cards in the flop, the next round of betting ensues with the small blind being the first to take action. Next betting round shows the fourth card, the turn, and lastly comes the fifth or river card. Now its showdown time where the best 5-card hand from the player's hand in combo with the community cards wins the pot, unless of course, all opponents folded and he is the winner regardless of his hand.