Table Games : Texas Holdem Rules

There are many different types, or variants, of poker and the most popular brand of poker is Texas holdem. If you are new to the game, here are the Texas holdem rules.

Pre-Flop

Each player is dealt two cards face down. Starting with the dealer button, the player two spots clockwise of the dealer must ante up a big blind. The player one spot clockwise of the dealer will ante up a small blind. The player immediately clockwise from the big blind has three options, either fold for free, call the big blind bet or raise the bet. The remaining players will face these same three options until everyone has bet and the dealer is ready to deal the first round of community cards.

Flop

The dealer deals three cards face up for the community to use. Everyone can use these cards in addition to the two cards in their individual hole to try to put together the best possible poker hand. To understand the ranking of poker hands, if you don't know, look to a free poker school online. After the dealer has done the first three community cards, starting with the player immediately clockwise from the dealer, another round of betting ensues, but this time the player has two betting options, either check or bet. All players have two betting options, either check or bet. Once a player makes a bet, he can either call the bet, raise or fold. After all remaining players have decided how to bet, the dealer is ready to deal the next community card.

Turn

After the dealer turns over the fourth card and another round of betting ensues until all remaining players have either checked, bet, called, raised or folded. When everyone is finished betting, the dealer deals the final community card.

River

The fifth and final community card dealt by the dealer is face up and all remaining players engage in yet another round of betting.

Showdown

After all remaining players have bet or checked, or raised and called, the players flip over the two cards in the hole. The player who has the best five-card poker hand using the two cards in their hand plus the five
community cards wins the pot. The dealer button then rotates one spot clockwise and another holdem hand begins with the player two spots clockwise from the dealer antes up the big blind, and the player one spot clockwise antes up a small blind.