In Texas Holdem Poker, there will always be a white marked disc on the table called the dealer button. This button determines which player acts last in that hand. It moves from player to player in a clock-wise direction after each hand so that the player who acts last continually changes.
To get each hand started, the two players to the left of the dealer button are required to make forced bets. These are called the small blind and the big blind. For example, if you were sitting on a $4/$8 Fixed Limit game and you were directly to the left of the button, you would have to pay the small blind which would be $2 (half the minimum bet). The player to your left will then pay the big blind of $4 (the minimum bet).
The dealer will then deal each player two cards face down. The cards must remain on the table, so to view them simply lift up the edges without showing any of your competing players.
It is now the player after the big blind’s turn to act. Their option is to call the bet from the big blind, which would be $4, or to raise the bet which would be $8. Of course the other option is to fold and simply hand your cards to the dealer face down. This would indicate that you’re no longer part of the game.
After everyone has had a chance to call, raise or fold, the dealer will then deal the Flop. The Flop is the first three cards shown on the table. Remember, action in Texas Holdem moves in a clock-wise direction and always starts with the player to the left of the button.
After the Flop, another round of betting takes place. For this round, you may hear the phrase, “check”. Checking means that you want to stay in the game but don’t want to bet and you don’t want to fold. Don’t forget though that once someone makes a bet, you can no longer check. You must either call, raise or fold.
After this betting round, the fourth card will be dealt and is commonly known as the Turn. The first player to act will either check or bet. Based on the strength of your cards and the action before you, you may want to check, bet, raise or fold. Finally, the fifth card or the River card will be dealt. Just like in previous rounds, there will be action in the form of checking, betting, calling, raising and folding.
It’s important to note that in a Limit game, for example $4/$8 Limit, the minimum bet increases to $8 on the Turn and the River cards. However, in a No Limit game there is No Limit to the amount you can bet – at any point in time any player can go ‘all in’ and bet all their chips.
Now don’t forget that in Texas Holdem, you can use any combination of five cards. That means that you can use one, both or none of your own cards to make the best five-card Poker hand. It goes without saying that whatever you can do, the other players can as well. So remember that they too can use any combination of cards from the board and the cards in their hands.
At the showdown, the dealer will ask you to turn your cards over to see who the winner is. For example, if the community cards are two Aces, a King, a Three and a Seven and there are two remaining players in the hand - Player A with an Ace and a King and Player B with a King and a Three, then player A would win as they have a Full House.
That’s how you play Texas Holdem Poker! So next time you want to put your card playing skills to the test, head to the Crown Poker Room and pull up a seat – you never know how far it might take you.