Description
Texas Hold’em is a hugely popular variant of poker dating back to the early 1900s in which two cards, called hole cards, are dealt to each player facing downwards. After that, five community cards are dealt facing upwards, in three separate stages.
The aim is to achieve the best five-card poker hand possible from any combination of the seven cards described above.
Options include checking, calling, raising or folding.
Unlike some other forms of the game where each player has their own hand, in Texas Hold’em, players can make their best hand with the cards they have been dealt, as well as using their ‘community cards’.
Texas Hold’em Pro from NetEnt is part of the well-established Swedish developer’s much-loved series of Pro table games.
How to play
Texas Hold’em Pro features the usual green felt table.
Cards are dealt from the top right-hand corner of the screen. In the middle of the upper area of the screen, you’ll find the chips, to the left of which are the minimum and maximum wagers.
Below all this, you’ll see three circles bearing the words Call (Flop), Bet (River) and Bet (Turn). Lower down, a smaller circle has the word Ante inside it.
As you play, the game highlights the kind of hand you have.
How to place a bet
Chips come in €1, €5 and €10 forms, and, as with similar table games, the chip with a red X can be used to cancel any bets you’ve already placed.
Place a bet by clicking the chips on to the circle marked Ante, using the betting limits detailed below. Then press Deal to see two cards, the dealer’s facing downwards and yours visible.
You can then choose whether to ‘call’ or ‘fold’. The latter loses you the bet while going for the call option doubles your wager and means three cards facing upwards will be dealt in the middle of the table.
Next, you have the chance to bet or check. The latter means you stick to the cards dealt, the former will see an equal bet to your original stake placed.
At this stage, a fourth card is dealt, giving you the same options once again, after which your cards are compared with the dealers. Whoever has the higher hand receives the payout.
It’s true that winnings aren’t huge here in terms of payouts received. If your hand ties with the dealer’s, you just get you wagers back. For any winning hand, you receive a simple 1:1 payout.
Finally, this game is customisable in that you can turn the sound effects off and alter some of the graphics.
Texas Hold’em Pro bet limits
Bet limits in this game range from €1 to €40.
Texas Hold’em Pro special features
Bonus rounds
As usual with table games like this, you won’t find anything in the way of bonus features or progressive jackpots.
Return to Player (RTP)
Return to Player or RTP tends to be quite high with table games, and this one is no exception, at a generous 99.47%.
Verdict
This is a visually appealing and exciting game that’s easy to learn, and NetEnt has done a good job of transferring it to the world of online play. Equally, it’s a useful one on which to learn more about the craft of poker hands, so it could be a stepping stone to more complex variations of the game.
As usual with NetEnt’s table games, you can try out Texas Hold’em Pro in demo mode before betting any real money, to familiarise yourself with the way it works.
Poker 
