Hold-em Rules

Texas Holdem is one of the most popular forms of poker today. The game is played with a standard 52 card deck. It is one of the easiest poker games to learn but can take years to master. The game starts when the dealer deals each player 2 cards known as “Hole Cards”.

Unlike a lot of home games where players ante, most texas Holdem games follow a blind structure. To the Left of the dealer there is a small blind and a big blind that post bets. If the game is $1 - $2 Holdem, then the Big Blind is $1 and the Small Blind is $.50. Starting to the left of the big blind you go around the table and give each player the opportunity to call the big blind($1) or raise.

After a round of betting, the dealer deals out 3 community cards known as the “flop”. These community cards are shared by all of the players. Another round of betting follows. The dealer then deals a fourth community card known as the “Turn”. Then there is a 3rd round of betting. Finally the dealer deals the last community card known as the “River”.

After the river, there is a final round of betting, that brings us to the “Showdown”. At the showdown, all players turn their cards face up. Each Player makes the best five card hand out of his 2 hole cards, and the 5 community cards. The player with the best five card hand wins.

Poker Hand Rankings

Royal Flush – A royal flush consists of a straight Ace through ten all of the same suit.

Straight Flush – A 5 card straight that is not Ace through ten all of the same suit.

Four of a Kind – 4 cards all the same value (four aces, four jacks etc..)

Full House – 3 Cards of one value and 2 cards of another value (three fives and 2 fours)

Flush – 5 cards all the same suit, not in a straight.

Straight – 5 cards in sequential order. Ace can be high(A-K-Q-J-10), or low (A-2-3-4-5) known as the wheel.

Three of a kind – 3 cards of the same value.

Two pair – two pairs the same value(two tens and two eights).

One pair – Two cards the same value.

High card – Start with the highest card, Ace to 2.