Texas Holdem is one of the most popular poker games in the world. The basic premise is to make the best five-card hand using any combination of your two hole cards and the five community cards on the table.
Here’s a beginner’s guide on how to play Texas Holdem so you can start honing your skills today.
What is Texas Holdem and how is it played
The 52-card Texas Holdem poker deck is used for this game. There are two to ten players seated at each table. Making the best five-card hand possible with any combination of your two hole cards and the five community cards on the table is the game’s object.
The order of poker hands from highest to lowest is as follows:
Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit.
Straight Flush: Five cards in order, all of the same suit.
Four of a Kind: Four cards of similar rank.
Full House: Three cards of similar rank plus two more cards of the same rank.
Flush: Any five cards of the same suit.
Straight: Any five cards in order but not all of the same suit.
Three of a Kind: Three cards of similar rank.
Two Pair: Two different pairs plus any fifth card.
One Pair: Two cards of the same rank plus three unrelated cards.
High Card: Five unrelated cards, the highest of which is your Ace.
The game of Texas Holdem begins with each player being dealt two hole cards face down. These are the private cards that only you will see. There will then be a betting round where you can check, bet, or fold.
If someone does bet, the rest of the players can call (match their bet), raise (bet more) or fold. Once the betting is complete, three community cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table, which everyone can see. This is known as the flop.
Another round of betting ensues, and then a fourth community card, known as the turn, is dealt. Again there is a round of betting, and then a fifth and final community card, known as the river, is dealt. The final round of betting takes place, and then the best five-card hand wins!
If you’re just starting with Texas Holdem, brush up on the order of poker hands so that you know what beats what. With a bit of practice, you’ll be raking in the poker chips in no time!
The different rounds of the game
Texas Holdem is typically played with four rounds of betting. The first round is known as the pre-flop, the second as the flop, the third as the turn, and the fourth as the river.
Players must match (or bet more than) the previous bet on each successive round to stay in the game. If all but one player has folded at any point during a round, the remaining player wins the pot, and the hand is over.
If more than one player remains after the final betting round, there is a showdown where each player reveals their hole cards, and whoever has the best hand wins!
How to make bets and what they mean
Texas Holdem has two types of bets: the small bet and the big bet. The small bet is typically half of the big bet.
The small bet is used during the pre-flop and flop rounds, while the big bet is used during the turn and river rounds.
When making a bet, you can either check (if no one has made a bet yet), bet (if no one has made a bet yet or you’re raising the current bet), call (if someone has already made a bet that you match), or fold (if you don’t want to match the current bet).
If all but one player has folded at any point, the remaining player wins the pot, and the game is over.
If more than one player remains after the final betting round, there is a showdown where each player reveals their hole cards, and whoever has the best hand wins!
Betting and raising in poker
To make a bet, you will need chips (or money).
The size of the bet you make will depend on the game you’re playing, the stakes, and the betting rules. The more significant the stake (the amount of money at risk), the bigger the bet should be.
You may also want to raise your bet if you think you have a good chance of winning or if you want to bluff your opponents.
Keep in mind that if you raise, all the other players will have to either call (match your bet) or fold (give up their hand).
If everyone folds except for one player, that player wins the pot, and the hand is over.
When starting, it’s a good idea to bet conservatively and only raise when you have a good hand. As you get more experience, you can start to take more risks and experiment with different betting strategies.
Tips and strategies for beginners
If you’re just starting with Texas Holdem, brush up on the order of poker hands so that you know what beats what. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the different rounds of betting and how they work.
In general, it’s best to err on the side of caution when making bets. This means you shouldn’t make too many risky moves or put all your chips in the pot without a good chance of winning.
Of course, part of the fun of playing Texas Holdem is taking risks and trying to bluff your opponents, so don’t be afraid to mix things up once you get a feel for the game!
So now that you understand the basics of Texas Holdem, it’s time to put your new skills into practice. Sign up with GGPoker, the world’s largest poker room, today and start practicing so you can become a master at one of the world’s most popular card games.