12betpoker TEXAS HOLD EM' TUTORIAL

Learn to Play Texas Hold ‘em Poker

Texas Hold ‘em is one of the simplest variants of poker and a great game to start with if you have never played before. The game is very logical and is one of the most popular poker variants played in casinos in the United States. However, if you’re a beginner, it’s a good idea to get started by playing Texas Hold ‘em online because you don’t have to worry about distractions like dealing, shuffling and attempting to read the faces of the other players.

What is Texas Hold ‘em Poker?

Texas Hold ‘em is a community card poker game in which game play is focused just as much on betting as it is on the cards being played. Texas Hold ‘em is played with a rotating dealer. During each hand, players are dealt two cards face-down, and three shared (a.k.a. community) cards are dealt face-up. A hand of Texas Hold ‘em consists of a minimum of one and a maximum of four betting rounds. A hand ends when all but one of the players have folded, or the final betting round is complete and multiple players are still in the hand – whichever comes first. The goal is to win as many chips as you can, one pot at a time. The game has several varieties, including No-Limit and Spread-Limit. Here, we will explore the basics of Limit Texas Hold ‘em.

The Rules of Texas Hold ‘em Poker   

If you’re going to play Texas Hold ‘em, it’s best to start with the basics.

Blinds:

These are forced bets that take place before the cards are dealt. Blinds take the place of traditional “antes” and dictate the stakes of the game. In Texas Hold ‘em Poker there are two blinds, a small blind and a big blind:

Small Blinds:

The player to the left of the dealer puts out the small blind. It is a mandatory bet. The small blind is generally half the size of the big blind.

Big Blind:

The player two seats left of the dealer puts out the big blind (also a mandatory bet). The big blind is generally equal to the minimum bet.
The blinds count toward those players’ total investment in the first round of betting. This means that if the bet isn’t raised pre-flop, the small blind will only need to put in another half of the bet in order to call and the big blind will not have to put anything more in the pot. However, the big blind has the option to raise his or her blind.

Pocket Cards:

At the beginning of each hand, players are dealt two face-down cards. These are called pocket cards or hole cards, and they should not be shown to the other players.

Pre-Flop:

This is the first round of betting. Players privately take a look at their pocket cards and decide which action they want to take. In the game of Texas Hold ‘em, only one player can take an action at a time. Players have three options.

Raise:

The first player may raise a bet by doubling the amount of the big blind. After that, players raise the amount of one bet in addition to the amount of the previous bet.

Call:

When players choose to call, they match the amount of the big blind.

Fold:

Players who have bad hands may choose to fold. This means that the player throws away his or her hand, pays nothing and waits for the next hand to play again.

Betting Round:

A betting round ends when all players have had a chance to act and all players who have not yet folded have bet the same amount of money for the round.

Burn Card:

After the first betting round has ended, the dealer discards the top card of the deck, known as a burn card.

The Flop:

After the burn card has been discarded, the dealer flips three cards face-up. This is known as the “flop”, and they are community cards that anyone can use in combination with their two pocket cards in order to form a poker hand. Another betting round begins. Post-flop betting opens up other options, such as check raising. You may also want to disguise your hand, especially if you have the nuts.

The Turn:

Once the second round of betting concludes, the dealer once again places a burn card face-down. The dealer then places one card face-up, known as the “turn card.” The player to the left of the dealer begins another round of betting. In this round and the final round of betting, the size of the bet is doubled. In Limit poker, this is also known as the “big bet.”

The River:

The dealer burns another card and places a final card face-up, called the “river card.” Players now use any of the five cards on the table or the two pocket cards to form a five-card poker hand. A final round of betting begins.

Showdown:

If after the final round of betting more than one player is still in hand, the showdown takes place. Players who have not yet folded reveal their hands. The player with best hand wins the game.

Texas Hold ‘em Poker Tips

Keep these helpful hints in mind as you play Texas Hold ‘em Poker:

Blind Stealing:

If you have a poor hand, you may want to take an action called blind stealing. This occurs when you are in a late position and you raise with the goal of making the blinds fold hands that are also weak. Blind stealing generally occurs when all players have folded to someone in late position.

Evaluate Your Cards:

Becoming an expert at Texas Hold ‘em is all about learning how to properly evaluate your cards. A good rule of thumb is that you should seriously consider folding prior to the flop if you have two non-pair cards that are both less than 10. Much of Texas Hold ‘em strategy is based on the cards in your hand. If you get a bad hand, you will need to be patient and wait for the good hands to come to you.

Be Reasonable:

While poker often involves bluffing, when it comes to Texas Hold ‘em you don’t want to get sucked in too far when you have a weak hand.