The Basics of Texas Hold’em
With the poker boom seemingly crossing all age and ethnic boundaries, I am surprised at the number of people who still do not know how to play Texas hold’em. Some are simply uninterested, but the ‘Cadillac of Poker’ intimidates many willing would-be participants, as this nickname implies that the game is for experts only. Having taught numerous novices myself, I guarantee that the simple rules of the hold’em can quickly be picked up by anyone with even the slightest experience at card games.
All poker variants have the same underlying rule: the best five-card hand wins. Texas hold’em is no different, except that there are seven cards total from which to choose your final hand. At the beginning of the hand, each player is dealt two cards, known as the ‘hole cards.’ Usually, the two players to the left of the dealer must make a forced bet known as a blind; the player next to the dealer posts a ‘small blind’ of approximately half a bet while the player to his left posts a full bet known as the ‘big blind.’ Other players who wish to enter the hand after the deal must match (or call) the big blind, but they may also increase the amount of the bet by at least double (raise).
Once players have either thrown away their two-card hands (folded), or called or raised the big blind, the next betting round begins. The dealer will deal one card facedown (the burn) and then deal three ‘community cards’, known as the ‘flop’, face up. These are called community cards because they are shared by all active players at the table. Another round of betting takes place on the flop, with the minimum bet usually being equal to the big blind. When the betting on the flop is over, the dealer burns another card and then deals ‘the turn’, a fourth community card. Now there are four cards on the table and two in your hand, for a total of six; your poker hand consists of the best five of these. For example, if there is a 5-6-7-8 on the ‘board’ and you are holding an ace and a 9, you have a straight from the 5 to the 9 and your ace is disregarded. You may also use both of your cards if it makes for a better hand.
The turn brings a third round of betting, where the minimum bet is either equal to or double the big blind, followed by another burn and the final card, or ‘river’ card, being dealt. Yet another round of bets takes place, but this is the last one. Once all bets have been completed, players who are still in the hand show their cards, and whoever has the best five-card hand wins (I’ll assume that you know the ranking of poker hands).
While there are many subtleties to each individual hand, this is basic way that each one will play out. To be honest, many of the paying customers in the casino have barely passed this level of understanding (at least those at the lower limits). Try the game out with some family and friends, and if you find that you enjoy it, don’t be intimidated to put a couple of bucks into an online poker account or take a trip down to the casino. Even if you don’t win, you’ll have only paid for some entertainment!
Texas Hold’em is the game that made some of the biggest poker heroes become celebs. Get cracking, and become someone!