How to play Texas Hold 'Em

Texas Hold 'Em Poker is the most popular version of poker played around the world today. It can be played with a limit betting structure, a spread limit betting structure, a pot limit betting structure or a no limit betting structure. It has just the right amount of information available to people that a lot of people enjoy playing it and it conceals just the right amount of information that there is still room for a lot of skill and luck to be put into play. Most people introduced to poker today start with Texas Hold 'Em and therefore if you want to start playing poker, a good place to start would be through learning how to play Texas Hold 'Em.

Click here to visit The Best Online Casino

The game starts off with each player getting dealt two cards face down. These are sometimes referred to as a person's hole cards and they are cards that only that person can use. Once the cards are dealt out to each person at the table, a round of betting commences. The player sitting immediately to the left of the dealer button (the button shifts with each hand one player to the left) is required to bet half of the small bet blind; this is referred to as the small blind. The player sitting immediately to the left of the small blind is required to bet the full bet blind; this is referred to as the big blind.

The betting in the first round commences with the player to the big blind's left, who is referred to as being under the gun. Players have the options of calling, raising or folding and once the betting during that round has been decided, three cards are dealt face up in the center of the board. These three cards are referred to as the flop (or third street) and they represent the first three community cards that every player can use in order to make the best five card poker hand. Once the flop has been dealt, another round of betting commences, this time starting with the person that was the small blind before the flop was dealt. Players have the option of checking or betting (if nobody has bet before them) or they have the option of calling, folding or raising (if someone has bet before them).

Once the betting during this round has been dealt with, yet another card is dealt face up in the center of the board next to the flop. This card is referred to as the turn card (or fourth street) and the betting options on the turn are exactly the same as they were on the flop. Once the betting on the turn has been resolved, a fifth and final card is dealt face up next to the flop and turn cards. This card is the river card (or fifth street) and after it is dealt a final round of betting ensues during which the same options as were available on the flop and turn are also available on the river. If there are still at least two people left by the end of the river betting round, then the showdown occurs. The players show their hands and try to make the best five card poker hand from their two and the five community cards available. The player with the best poker hand wins the hand and takes the pot.