Texas Holdem Poker Rules

Texas Holdem Poker Rules

Texas Holdem is the most popular form of poker these days. This is the main type of poker you will see televised and Texas Holdem events will usually have the biggest purses at events and tournaments.

Many movies over the years have had iconic scenes involving games of Texas Holdem, something which often sparks an interest in viewers to learn the Texas Holdem rules and to start playing for themselves.

Whether you are playing a friendly game of poker with your family or friends or you want to start putting some money on the line through online poker sites, this guide gives you a brief overview of the main Texas Holdem Poker rules and the objectives of this poker game.

Important Poker terminology

Before you start to learn Texas Holdem strategy about the Texas Holdem Poker Rules and familiarize yourself with some of the more common terms in the game.

  • Blinds – The blinds are forced bets that two players have to make in advance of every hand. This is usually in the form of a big blind and a small blind.
  • Call – A call is when you match the bet of someone else on the table for a given hand.
  • Check – A check is similar to a call, but you do not have to place any money to check.
  • Flop – The flop is the first three cards that will be dealt onto the table for everyone to see.
  • Turn – The turn is when the fourth community card has been revealed.
  • The river – The river is when all five cards are on display on the table.

The goal of playing Texas Holdem

Naturally, when you are playing a game you want to do your best to win. While you may be playing a friendly game, to help enhance the experience, you should look at ways in which you can get the better of your opponents.

Every player at the table will be dealt two cards to start off with. There will then be a round of betting before the first three community cards are shown as the flop. There will then be another round of betting before the turn card is shown.

There will be another round of betting before the river card will be revealed. Finally, there will be one last round of betting. Those players who remain with an active hand by the end of this round of betting will then reveal their two cards.

Whichever player has the best five-card combination wins the pot. This means that you can use a combination of your two cards and the five cards on the table to make up a winning hand.
The type of hand that wins the pot will vary from hand to hand. For example, the winner could simply be holding the highest card on the board, whereas another winner may have struck a flush.

The order of winning hands in Texas Holdem poker

As mentioned, there are numerous ways in which a winner of a hand can be determined. Here is a list showcasing the precise order of these winning hands, starting from the lowest ranking winning hands to the highest.

  • If no player in a hand has any sort of combination even with the five community cards, then the winner will be dictated by whoever holds the highest card. The highest card you can hold is an Ace, with the lowest card being a 2.
  • Next on the list is one pair. This means that you can match two cards of the same rank, such as a pair of 10s or a pair of Kings.
  • A two pair is when you have matched two pairs, such as AA and KK.
  • A three of a kind is when you have three cards of the same rank.
  • A straight is when you combine five cards with consecutive rankings, but they do not have to be the same suit. For example, you can have a straight of 5,6,7,8,9. An Ace can be used on two sides of a straight, like A,2,3,4,5 or 10, J, Q, K, A. This gives you more flexibility.
  • Next in the rankings is a flush. A flush is when you have five cards of the same suit (i.e. Five cards with hearts) and they do not have to be in a sequence.
  • Next on the rankings is a full house. This is when you have a three of a kind as well as a pair.
  • A four of a kind is when you have all of the same four cards.
  • The second most powerful hand in Texas Holdem poker is a straight flush. This is when you obtain five cards with the same suit and the cards are in a sequence. The royal flush is a case of the straight flush. It can be formed 4 ways (one for each suit), giving it a probability of 0.000154% and odds of 649,739: 1.
  • Finally, the best hand that you can get in poker is a royal flush. This is when you get A, K, Q, J,10 all having the same suit.
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