It will be useful to know when the most widespread (among many others) form of poker in the world appeared. True, there is no reliable information about the date and place of birth of Texas Holdem. There are only conjectures and assumptions.
The most plausible version is that this variety in its modern form came to us from Alaska. The rules were approved in 1900 in the state of Texas, from which the game got its name. But it did not gain its popularity immediately: only after 1969, when the first Texas Holdem tournament was held.
The basic rules of Texas poker: from the number of people to winning combinations
In Hold'em, 2 to 10 people usually sit at one poker table. A deck of fifty-two cards, which is familiar to all poker players, is used. Even before the first distribution, the dealer is determined, to whom the button (large round chip) will go for the next distribution. By the way, the player-dealer does not necessarily deal cards. Online, for example, this is done by the system. Determining the nominal dealer is necessary to determine who will put the blinds - small and big (the size of the latter is usually twice as large as the first). These are the mandatory first bets made by players in the ripe, before the players even see their cards.
Mandatory bets are made by poker players sitting to the left of the dealer. The first one posts the small blind, the second one posts the big blind.
All players at the table receive from the dealer or from the system, if we are talking about online poker, even before the start of the game, but after making left bets, two hole cards each.
Bets are placed, cards are received - the game begins!
Preflop: First round of betting
Everything that happens in the game before the flop appears on the table, namely the first three open community cards, is called preflop. At this time, the players look at the cards received and look for possible scenarios.
The first player to go is the one to the left of the big blind. His position is called "under the gun". This name is easily explained by the not very favorable (one might even say very disadvantageous) position of the player.
What should you do while trading?
- Make a bet. Usually the player with the position "under the gun" has this right. It sets the minimum price bar that other participants will have to pay in order to participate in the game in the future.
- Quit the game. Folding is easy, but don't rush, weigh the pros and cons. If you really understand that you have nothing to count on with the cards you receive, then discard them and do not participate further in the distribution.
- Flatten the bet. Call to put exactly as much into the pot as the previous player put in. For example, if there was a 10-chip bet before you when you called, you can get that much to continue playing.
- Raise your bet. Raise to increase your opponent's bet and raise the price for other players.
- Pass the move. A check is a technique that players can use to pass the move to an opponent. But you can check only if there have been no bets yet.
Trade order
In order for the game to be played in an orderly manner, there are trading rules. Bets are placed clockwise.
In the first round of betting, the one who sits to the left of the big blind starts to bet. Starting from the second round, trading is opened by the person sitting to the left of the dealer.
Bets are made, they are collected in one big pile in the center of the table and form a pot, for which further struggle is taking place. After that, the game goes to the next phase - the flop.
Flop: Three cards up
The dealer opens the flop on the table: he puts three community cards face down, which all players at the poker table can already see. They don't belong to anyone. In the future, anyone can use them to make their own winning combination.
For example, let's say you have a Five and a Ten. When the flop appeared on the table common King, Five and Ace. Now you have a combination of a pair of Fives in your hands. But do not rush to draw conclusions, this is not a very strong combination. Perhaps the turn or river will change your position. Which is quite likely!
After the flop, the second round of betting begins. You already know how it goes. Money or chips are added to an existing bank. Game continues.
Turn: fourth card
This card is also dealt face up on the table. It can also be used to create a combination.
Then the auction starts again. And again, all bets made are added to the total pot.
River: the fifth card that can change the course of the game
Thanks to the fifth (last) card, the game can turn in a completely different direction if it helps someone to collect a strong combination.
After the river comes the fourth round of betting, probably the most merciless of all. Since everyone already probably knows their winning combination. It remains to be seen whether she will win or not.
The one who has reached the end in Hold'em participates in the showdown - finding out the best hand.
Showdown - whose hand is stronger?
This is the culmination of the whole game, when the winner is determined. Whoever has the strongest combination of five cards wins. The winner takes the entire pot.
What combinations can be made?
Having learned the rules of Hold'em poker, the player asks quite logical questions: "What combination needs to be collected to win the game?". A poker hand always consists of 5 cards. Not out of three or eight, but out of five. But you are dealt only two cards. The rest must be drawn from the community cards. Of the open cards, you can use only three cards, or you can use all five. It doesn't matter. The main thing is that you know what combination you can win with.
Lots of card combinations. Remembering them all is impossible. But there are ten main ones that you simply need to know if you want to build a successful gaming career.
- Royal Flush. This is the strongest (one might even say authoritative!) combination in poker. A royal flush is a Ten, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of the same suit.
- Straight flush. Five cards of the same suit in ascending order. For example, Nine, Ten, Jack, Queen and King. If two players have a straight flush at once, then the one with the higher cards wins in this dispute.
- Kare. 4 cards of the same value. For example, four Ladies. Or four eights. It's all Kare. In a situation where two players have the same Four of a Kind, the winner is determined by the Kicker - the fifth card in the combination (that's why the fifth card must be present in the combination).
- Full house. A combination of a Triplet and a Pair (more on these combinations below). If two players have a Full House, then the winner is determined by the seniority of the Triplet. If the Triplet is the same, the victory is determined by the value of the Pair.
- Flash. 5 cards of the same suit. The order of dignity is not important. It is taken into account only when drawing up a Straight Flush (do you remember what cards it consists of?).
- Straight. Five, which develops cards of increasing dignity, of different suits.
- Triplet. To collect this combination, you need to get three cards of the same value.
- Two pairs. Two pairs consist, oddly enough, of two Pairs (read about the pair below).
- Pair. 2 cards of the same rank. For example, two Sevens or two Aces.
- Senior card. This is the weakest hand in poker. When no one has a combination, the winner is determined by the highest card in the hand.
Varieties of Holdem Poker
There are three types of Texas Holdem, depending on which variety you play, the rules will differ.
Hold'em Limit
The size of bets here is limited by a predetermined limit. This type is suitable for beginners, since the intensity of passions at such tables is usually lower. Yes, and bluff does not play an important role. When you enter the poker room, you will see tables where the stakes will have two numerical values. For example, at a $2/4 table, the first two rounds are $2, and the third and fourth are $4. Mathematics is important in limit poker.
Pot Limit Hold'em
As the name implies, this is something between a limit and a no-limit version of the game. Rates are limited by the current value of the pot.
No Limit Hold'em
The size of bets is not limited by anything. You can go for broke at any time. The math is less important. Psychology plays a big role and how a person knows how to restrain his emotions and read the behavior of others. If you are a beginner, wait a little while playing in no-lim. Surely, you will not like the pace of the game and the passions that sometimes boil here.
Learning how to play Texas Poker is not that difficult, the game mechanics are quite simple, and besides, this is the easiest and most popular option. The main goal of the game is to collect a strong combination of cards and take the pot.. It is more difficult for beginners to learn the nuances, terms, combinations, game progress, trading circles. A lot of questions often arise: how is the winning formed, who makes the first move, how many combinations and which one is older, how to resolve disputes, what are the flop, turn and river? And other difficulties. In fact, it will be difficult only at first, with each new hand the user learns the rules of Texas Hold'em more and more, learns to do all the actions “on the machine”.
Each hand in poker usually lasts no more than five minutes, during which time the players determine the winner and manage to make many moves. Inside one hand (as the distribution is called differently), there are the following elements:
- collection of winning combinations;
- placing initial bids;
- trading circles and bank formation;
- determination of the winner.
These are the highlights of one round, within a game session there can be several hundred or even thousands of hands. Let's analyze these rules of Texas Poker in more detail.
Hold'em combinations
The most important part, it is around the collection of combinations that the whole game is built, in poker Hold'em the rules state that the one who can collect the strongest combination, takes the whole bank. The combinations are listed below in ascending order of precedence.
- senior card. In another way, a kicker. Five cards in random order, not related to each other in any way. If all participants do not have any combination, then the leader is determined by the highest card.
- Pair. First combination. Consists of 2 cards linked to each other by the same denomination. Since any combination must consist of five elements, three more act as kickers, they are needed to determine the winner in disputable situations.
- Two pairs. Two pairs of cards with the same denomination. In Texas Hold'em poker, the rules state that the seniority of the combination is taken into account from the highest par value Pair. For example, two kings and two tens will beat two queens and two jacks.
- Set. Three cards that have the same value. Two kickers complete the combination.
- Straight. Opens combinations in which there is no kicker. Five cards in ascending order of denomination. All suits must be different (if they are the same, this is a different, stronger combination). Combination allowed ace,2,3,4,5.
- Flash. Five cards of the same suit of any value. Seniority is determined by the face value of the highest card in hand. Suits in poker are all equivalent.
- Full house. The combination is assembled from a Set and a Pair, that is, three cards of the same value and two more. The rules of Texas Hold'em state that the hand with the higher value of the Set is higher.
- Kare. Four cards that have the same rank. There is also one kicker here.
- Straight Flush. Five consecutive cards of the same suit.
- Royal Flush. Royal set. Five cards from 10 to Ace of the same suit. Drops out extremely rarely.
Before you study in depth the rules of Texas Hold'em poker, you need to remember the combinations by heart. Without this, it is undesirable to sit down at the table, especially in offline mode. When playing via the Internet, it is better to print the combinations and keep them with you, at least for the first time.
Starting bets and start of the game
After learning the combinations, you can sit down at the table and play the first few rounds. Practice will allow you to quickly and better remember the rules of the Texas poker game, how the draw goes, how much the winner is entitled to, who becomes the leader and other components.
It is allowed to sit at the gaming table from two to as many people as you like, the main thing is that everyone needs two pocket cards and five common ones on the field. The rooms accept formats of 2.5 and 9 participants.
In Texas Hold'em, the rules of the game require that two opponents bet small and big blinds. These are mandatory bets designed to stir up the interest of the participants, as well as a guarantee that the winner in any case will receive at least the minimum amount.
The big blind is always equal to the minimum possible bet of the table, the minimum is half of it.
All players must take turns posting the big and small blinds. The move in each round is passed in a circle, according to the clockwise movement, so as not to confuse the order, there is a button chip on the table - a special element with a pointer. Hold'em poker rules state that in the very first hand, the starting bets are made by two players sitting to the left of the croupier.
Then the direct distribution of cards and betting circles begins, further Hold'em rules on betting circles and bank formation will be considered in the next chapter.
Trading circles and bank formation
The first bets are made, now the croupier starts the distribution. According to the rules of the game in Hold'em, cards are dealt clockwise, starting with the player sitting to the left of the dealer. Everyone receives two cards in their hands, they are not shown to opponents, after looking at them, the participants decide on their further moves.
The player who made the small blind is the first to say his word, several actions are available to him:
- Call. In the rules of Texas Hold'em is the designation Col. That is, the player calls the bet to the big blind.
- Reset. Designation fold. Throw cards and exit the current hand, losing the small blind.
- Boost. Designation Raise. The player can increase the big blind by the amount stipulated by the table limit.
- All in. Designation All-in. Put all your chips on the line. Allowed only in the no-limit version of the game.
The last move belongs to the big blind, he is allowed one more action - Check, that is, to miss, without betting anything in the pot, but on the condition that no one made a Raise.
First round - flop. The croupier puts three cards on the table, they are considered common, they can be seen by all participants and used to make combinations. In Texas poker, the rules of the game for dummies provide that a new round of betting begins, the possible actions of the players are described above.
Second round - turn. The fourth card is laid out on the table. A new round of betting begins, already at this round, most of the opponents throw out their cards and leave the game.
Third round - river. The number of community cards reaches five, the participants open the final round of betting. In Texas poker, the rules stipulate that at this stage the final pot is formed, which will go to the winner.
Determination of the winner and disputes
If there are several opponents left in the game, they produce showdown - opening cards and comparing the collected combinations. Whoever has the strongest combination will take all the winnings for himself. This is where the ambiguous moments arise, in which beginners get confused, in the rules of Texas Hold'em poker, disputes are resolved quite simply.
- Two or more poker players turned out to have the same combination in terms of strength. In this case, the rank of the cards that make up the combination is taken into account. For example, a Flush with a king will beat a Flush with a ten. A pair of nines will be stronger than a pair of threes, and so on. If the set base is the same, kickers will count.
- The combination of cards turned out to be completely the same for two or more opponents, Texas Holdem rules interpret this situation in favor of all participants. In this case, all applicants are declared winners, and the bank goes to them in equal parts.
- In Texas Holdem poker, the rules allow for a situation where all five community cards on the table, if they form any combination, are counted by all players. In this case the bank is divided equally.
- If one of the participants goes all-in, and the other cannot call him, then side pots are created. The point is that there will be several pots at stake. For the number of chips that the player could not equalize, he cannot claim. They go to the participant who has collected the second most powerful combination. It will not work to consider all the subtleties of these Hold'em rules; it is easier to understand them directly during the game.
These are the main controversial points that cause difficulties for beginners. The best way to understand all the nuances - constantly practice at the gaming table, even if it is an ordinary simulator of interest.
Limits in Hold'em Poker
The last aspect to consider in the rules of Texas Hold'em poker for beginners is - limits. Each table has certain restrictions regarding the betting of players in the betting circles, in total there are three draw options.
- Unlimited. This means that each player, regardless of the current round, bank and other indicators, has the right to put any amount on the line. It is allowed to go for broke at any stage, the other participants are obliged to support this move, or refuse to fight. Today it is the most popular version of the game.
- Limit. In Limit Hold'em, the rules limit the size of bets within a strictly allotted range. This means that the player cannot go beyond the established limits. For example, a $10/$20 table means that the minimum bet is $10 and the maximum bet is $20. There is no talk of any all-in here. The rarest variant of the game.
- Pot limit. The size of bets here depends solely on the bank, how many chips are in it at the current moment of the betting round, and how much the player is allowed to bet. For example, if there is $100 in the bank, then the participant can put up the same amount. All-in is not allowed. The second most popular version of the game.
As you can see, the rules of Texas Hold'em poker are not as complicated as it seems at first glance. The main thing is to keep practicing. And at first, carry a cheat sheet with you so as not to confuse anything.
"Texas Hold'em" - a game that turned the idea of cards. Its rules can be learned in five minutes, but you cannot find at least one person who will say that he has learned all the intricacies of the game. Precisely because this game is so incredibly deep, and even in losing and losing, a smart player gains a lot, paving the way for future victories, it makes sense to study the rules. Poker can give much more than just an interesting hobby.
"Texas Hold'em" combinations
As in any other poker, here the winner is determined by certain combinations of cards. Before you start playing you need to learn first. Their order of precedence determines whether you won in a particular hand or not. In fact, these are the main rules of "Texas Hold'em".
There are 10 combinations in total, where "kicker" is the weakest, and "royal flush" is the strongest and invincible combination. The first three of them are very rare and almost invincible. Combos with 3-7 are considered strong, but even a formidable "full house" can be beaten in the game. Pair and deuce often bring victory, but require care when playing.
- "Royal flush" - "straight flush" from 10 to ace.
- "Straight flush" - five cards of the same suit in order.
- "Kare" - four cards of the same value.
- "Fullhouse" - a pair and a set in one combination (five cards in total).
- "Flush" - five cards of the same suit, regardless of value.
- "Street" - five cards in order, regardless of suit.
- "Set" (or triple) - three cards of the same value.
- Two Pairs - a combination consisting of two pairs of the same value.
- A pair is two cards of the same value.
- "Kicker" - the highest card.
Thus, when playing Texas Hold'em, combinations are what determine the superiority or weakness of one player over another in a particular hand.
Beginning of the game
The modern rules of the Texas Hold'em game clearly prescribe all stages, from the distribution of cards to the determination of the winner. The game is played by 2 to 10 people. The cards are dealt either by the dealer (in casinos and gambling clubs), or by the players themselves one by one.
The cards in the game are dealt by the player who makes the last bet. That is, the last one at the table in the current hand, to determine the position of this player, there is a special token - a "button", denoting the last player in the hand. With each new game, he passes to the next player. Clockwise.
The next two players, clockwise, place mandatory bets - the small blind and the big blind. They correspond to the size of the minimum bet at the table. After the cards are dealt, the player to the left of the big blind makes the first bet.
Circle one
Texas Hold'em is a poker game played with two cards. After the distribution of cards, bidding begins, during which each participant evaluates the strength of his hand. Depending on a pleasant decision, the player who opens the auction can choose one of four actions:
- "Call" - a bet equal to the big blind.
- "Raise" - increase the bet (at least twice).
- "Pass" - refusal to continue playing and discarding cards.
- "All-in" or "all-in". All available chips are put into the pot.
Of course, you cannot bet lower than the previously placed bet, except in the case when the number of chips in the pot is less than the bet. In this case, the player, if he considers it correct, announces "All-in".
Each player, in turn, takes one of the four actions until the bets are evened or all players fold to the most aggressive player.
The basic rules of Texas Hold'em say that the right decision at this stage is crucial for the whole hand, especially for beginners.
Playing the flop
After all bets are made, the dealer reveals the "flop" - the first three cards on the table, which are called the "flop". Thus, the players remaining in the distribution receive maximum information about their hand. More often it is at this stage of the game of "hold'em" that combinations are made that can win the game.
The "flop" gives a detailed idea of the prospects in a particular hand. The player may have a ready combination or an incomplete "flush" or "straight" (without one card), which make it possible to play further, with moderate bets of the opponent.
If three cards on the table did not improve the hand, then, most likely, the player needs to throw out the cards to "pass" to the opponent's bet. The exception is a pair of queens, kings and aces. Trading on the "flop" is carried out in the same way as on the "preflop" (the first round of trading). However, the stakes are usually noticeably higher.
"Turn" and "River"
Any player who is left in the hand of the flop ambassador without a ready combination wants to see the card on the table that will change everything in his favor. However, only with the right calculation, such hopes are justified more often than in 50% of hands.
"Turn" puts the question point-blank - to play in the hope of the last card or announce "pass" and calculate losses. The choice depends on the opponent, if his bet is too large, it is better to discard the cards.
"River" is the last fifth card in the game. After it, another round of betting is announced, and the participants reveal their cards to find out who will get the pot.
"River" is translated as a river, which is associated with the end of the path. On the "river" a strong combination does not always win, very often someone takes the pot, ousting other participants from the game.
When playing Texas No Limit Hold'em, the rules say that the best 5-card hand drawn from seven cards wins. Five cards laid out on the table and two hole cards. Despite its apparent simplicity, "Texas Hold'em" is poker that has 2,869,685 variants of different combinations.
Limit and no-limit poker
No Limit Poker is the most popular variant of the game where the maximum bet is limited only by the player's chips. In this kind of card game, passion and cold calculation are best combined, since even a very strong professional can suddenly turn away from luck. When playing Texas No Limit Hold'em, the rules allow you to go all-in at any time in the game, making even the toughest opponents nervous. A completely different thing is the game with limited bets.
"Limit Hold'em" means that the player's maximum "raise" does not exceed one or two big blinds. The maximum possible bet for the entire hand is only 24 times the minimum, and then only if opponents constantly raise rates. "Limit Hold'em" is a calm and measured game, very often it is chosen in order to start playing on the Internet.
Tournaments in Texas Hold'em
Tournament rules are somewhat different from the usual game. The number of participants also starts with two people, but there is no upper limit. So, in the largest event of 2014 - the main tournament of the WSOP world series in Las Vegas, 6680 people sat down at the tables. And the total prize fund exceeded $65 million.
There are two main differences from a regular cash game:
Rates rise after a certain period of time. As a result, the number of "blinds" in the game decreases over time, and with each new stage, the intensity of the game increases.
The second difference is that the participants of the tournament can finish it only in two cases: by winning or losing all the chips. In a cash game, you can leave the table at any time.
The online tournament experience is very important for beginner players as it allows them to get used to playing with different amounts of chips. Tournaments are considered to be more sporty than cash games.
Sit-and-Go Tournaments
These games are very popular on the Internet, in fact they are a tournament at one table with the participation of 2-10 people. In the first stage, players have between 50 and 200 big blinds.
In tournaments, from 1 to 3 prizes are played, and first of all, players are attracted by the dynamism of Sit-and-Go. The pace picks up, the participants are eliminated one by one, until only one remains at the end.
The advantage of Sit-and-Go is that the player participates in all the main stages of the tournament within 30-50 minutes. A successful game requires flexibility of thinking and the ability to quickly change tactics depending on the circumstances.
Poker one on one
One-on-one or heads-up play has its own rules. "Texas Hold'em" together is, first of all, a battle of characters. He is distinguished by a high percentage of bluffs and a very aggressive style of play, waiting, there is no way to win here.
In this game, the cards "Ace" and "King" with a second card below ten, which are considered controversial in a normal game, acquire great strength. Players often go all-in with these hands.
The heads-up game, first of all, allows you to understand the psychology of the opponent, which in itself is of great importance.
The ability to play "Texas Hold'em" head-to-head is found in all types of games, and being able to play this poker is extremely important, but not many can boast of mastery here.
Poker Strategy Basics: Table Position
The closer the player is to the "baton", the higher his chances of winning the game. Conversely, the position of players in the first positions is dangerous for playing weak and medium-strength hands. The table is divided into 4 zones depending on the position.
The hardest game in early position is three people sitting after the blinds. Common designation UTG 1-3. Then there are the blinds, their position is weaker than that of UTG, but the blinds are the last to bet on the preflop, and therefore can make more profitable decisions.
The middle position, three places after UTG, is denoted by the letters MP 1-3. These places are considered to be especially lucrative with strong starting hands. The last two hands in the hand are the most profitable. These are the "cut-off" and "dealer", they close the hand and make a decision when all the players have already said the word. These hands are best for bluffing.
With a decrease in the number of players, the position of UTG is reduced first, then MP. In a six-player game, only one early and one middle position remains.
hand strength
It is very important to correctly assess which starting hands to bet with depending on the position. In early position, you can only bet with very strong hands: AA; KK; QQ; JJ; TT; AK; A.Q.
The range of hands in the MP position is complemented by all cards over ten, as well as pairs from 77 and above.
In late position, the range is increased by suited cards of all pairs and cards that can form "straights" and "flushes" (suited 56; 67; 78; etc.). If the bet was made from an early position, it can be called with TT cards; AK; A.Q. AA cards; KK; QQ; JJ is the correct solution for "cut". With the rest of the hands it is better to go to the pass.
The proposed recommendations are well suited for beginners, with experience the strategy of the game changes, becomes more flexible and technically equipped. "Texas Hold'em" is a poker that provides unlimited opportunities for development.
Bluff in poker
The rules of Texas Hold'em say nothing about bluffing. However, without this element, a successful game is impossible. A bluff is good when it succeeds and can be useful when it is shown.
In the first case, it makes a profit; in the second case, it allows you to deceive an opponent if, after exposure, you change the strategy of the game.
However, in the absence of sufficient experience, it is still worth identifying some rules. "Texas Hold'em" does not forgive mistakes on a bluff.
- You should bluff only from late positions, when all the players have already said their word.
- Never bet against players who have made "raises" or large bets.
- Don't bluff often. Only if there is a tangible chance of success, and subject to the first two rules.
- Never bet a lot, the bet should be less than the pot, but more than half of it (2/3 is best).
- Don't fight for big banks. Chips lost on a bluff are very hard to get back.
There are several effective bluff strategies, but they are all based on experience and subtle knowledge of psychology, and therefore this part of the game must be entered carefully, without making dangerous decisions in the game.
Poker as a philosophy
Playing Texas Hold'em, rules, combinations, first steps in the game - this is not even the beginning. Poker is the matrix of human society, in which everything and its weaknesses are reflected. Understanding how to play hold'em, many believe that they have found the missing link in life, have become more holistic and stronger.
The popularity of poker is due to the fact that everyone can find their place in the game, their table, their limit, and even their company. And the rules of "hold'em" only help to find this way. The main thing in the game is the ability to correctly find your moment, to see the enemy's second weakness or, conversely, to guess the treacherous "flush" behind the simulated nervousness. This game is the knowledge of the world, yourself and other people. Poker is the art of winning even when you lose.
Poker(from English. poker) - the general name of a number of varieties of card games, the purpose of which is to win the pot, which in turn is formed by the bets of the players participating in the distribution at this particular table. The hand wins, and, consequently, the bank is taken by the player who can collect the highest poker hand. You can also take the bank by a well-built game strategy, i.е. by certain actions to make all other opponents believe in the strength of your hole cards, forcing them to fold their cards and refuse to continue the fight for the pot (refuse to call your bet and throw the cards into the pass).
Depending on the type of poker, the game can be played with fully or partially holed cards. Respectively, rules each individual variety poker differ slightly. Common elements that are common to all varieties of poker games are poker combinations of cards, as well as rounds of betting during the game. In this series of articles, you will find the most detailed poker rules.
Poker, like many other card games, is a game of incomplete information. Due to the fact that every player at the poker table (be it a virtual table in an online poker room, or a table in the kitchen with your friends and acquaintances) sees only his starting cards ( their cards are called the word "hand", i.e. "cards in hand") and common cards of the table (common cards are called "cards of the board", "board", "board", etc.), but does not know (and cannot know) the cards of his opponents.
Please note: if for some reason you do not understand the meaning of certain words, we advise you to refer to the poker dictionary section, where you will find interpretations of the vast majority of poker terms.
Texas Hold'em rules for beginners
In this article series, we will describe no limit texas holdem rules, where you will receive two cards in your hand. Two pocket cards in your hand, hidden from the eyes of opponents, give a lot of room for deception, while five community cards on the table allow a good player to draw a lot of logical conclusions about the possible cards of opponents. Moreover, all major and largest poker tournaments are held in this type of game.
Our articles are aimed at beginner poker players, so this series of articles could be titled as follows: " Poker - game rules for dummies"
Varieties of poker games depending on betting limits
There are three main varieties of poker, which differ in the size of the possible bets:
- fixed limit- bets can only be of certain sizes, i.e. their size is limited by the rules;
- Pot limit- the maximum bet is limited by the size of the pot;
- no limit- the maximum bet is limited by the size of the player's stack (the number of chips the player has at the table);
The most popular variety among all poker games is No-Limit Texas Hold'em or simply Hold'em, the rules of the game in which we will consider in this article.
Poker rules. Poker cards
Poker is played with various decks of cards (depending on the type of game) - 32, 36, 52 or 54 cards each, but the most commonly used is a standard deck of 52 cards. Such a deck includes cards of four suits, starting from the deuce and ending with the ace ( ).
Letter designations of the rank of cards in online poker
The letter "T" stands for card ten.
- the letter "J" stands for Jack.
- the letter "Q" stands for Lady.
- the letter "K" stands for the King.
- the letter "A" stands for Ace.
Letter symbols for card suits in online poker
The letter "h" - denotes chirva
The letter "s" - denotes the peak.
The letter "c" stands for the cross.
The letter "d" - denotes a tambourine.
Thus, the designation As = , Kd = , etc.
The strength of the cards is determined by descending from the ace and beyond (king, queen, jack, ... two). Ace is the strongest card, however, it can also act as the lowest card (only to create a straight combination from ace to five -). The game consists of several phases, which are called trade (distribution). The game can accept a different number of participants - from 2 to 10 at one table.
Number of players at the poker table
The number of players at the table may vary. Accordingly, each table with a certain maximum number of players has its own specific poker term. Main tables:
- Long table - Full Ring(10max);
- Short table - Shorthanded(6max);
- Ultrashort table - UltraShorthanded(4max);
- Heads up table - heads up(2 max) is a 1v1 game.
Blinds - mandatory blind bets
Before the game begins, two players must make mandatory blind bets, which are called blinds(from English. Blind- blind). The term " blind” got its name because the players deposit money into the pot without even looking at their cards, since the cards are dealt only after these bets are placed.
There is a small blind bet ( small blind) and a big blind bet ( big blind). Typically, the big blind is twice the size of the small blind. are placed so that the players do not sit and wait only for good cards and participate more actively in distributions.
The blinds are not posted randomly, they are posted by two players to the left of the dealer position. And the dealers change after each hand, as the dealer changes clockwise every hand. The dealer at the table corresponds to a large chip, which is called " button" (accent on the letter "a" - not to be confused with the button, where the emphasis is on the letter "o" and one letter "t") or the dealer's button.
Thus, even before the cards are dealt to the players in their hands, the player sitting to the left of the dealer must make a small blind bet, that is post the small blind, and the next player bets big blind.
IN online poker the position of the dealer is determined from the moment the table is opened: the player who is the first to take a seat at the table will be the dealer. Further in the course of the game, the position of the dealer will move from one player to another in a clockwise direction.
After the blinds are posted, each player is dealt 2 face down cards. In online poker, all cards are dealt by the Random Number Generator of poker rooms (abbr. RNG). These cards can only be seen by the player. The first round of betting begins - preflop. All betting rounds according to the unspoken rules of poker are divided into preflop (i.e. the game before the flop) and postflop (i.e. the game after the players have seen the flop cards).
This was the first part of a series of articles on poker rules. To further understand poker rules for beginners, refer to our article Poker Rules (Texas Hold'em) - Part 2
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The game involves a deck of 52 cards from deuce to ace in each of the four suits. The highest card in the suit is an ace, the lowest is a deuce, and the ace plays as the highest or lowest card.
- The Flop bet is equal to double the Ante bet.
- "Turn" and "River" bets are equal to "Ante".
Your account decreases by the amount you wager when you place bets and increases by the amount you win.
Having made bets in accordance with the rules and within the range set for this table, confirm your intention with these bets by clicking on the “Deal” button.
To start the game round, place a bet in the "Ante" field, after which the dealer will deal two cards to you and two to himself (the dealer's cards are closed).
After looking at your cards, you can place a "Flop" bet to continue playing, or choose not to play by clicking the "Fold" button.
If you choose the “Fold” option, the game stops: the “Ante” bet goes to the house, the dealt cards go to the end.
When choosing "Flop", the dealer deals 3 cards face up on the table. You are invited to make a “Turn” bet or continue the game without an additional bet (“Check”).
The fifth card is dealt face up on the table.
Determination of winning ("Showdown")
The dealer's cards are opened and out of 7 cards (5 on the table and 2 on the dealer's hand) the best five-card combination is determined.
The best five-card poker hand (5 out of 7) is highlighted in your hand and compared to the dealer's hand. If your combination is better, then all your bets except "Ante" are paid 1:1. Otherwise, bets do not count.
The "Ante" bet will be paid 1:1 if you have collected a combination not lower than a Straight.
If both the dealer and you have no combinations, then the higher card wins.
In the event of a tie, all bets are returned to your account ("Push").
Game buttons
- Deal - Click on this button to confirm your bets.
- Cancel - click on this button to remove all bets from the playing field.
- Replay - click on this button to repeat the bet you made in the last game.
- Surrender - Click on this button to refuse the Flop bet. The Ante bet does not count towards you.
- Bet - Click on this button to place a "Turn" ("River") bet.
- Check - click on this button to continue the game without the "Turn" ("River") bet.