Texas hold 'em
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Texas hold'em is a popular version of the card game poker.
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[edit] How to play
Before any cards are dealt, two players to the left of the dealer make bets which are called the "Small Blind" and "Big Blind". The blinds are the ante for the game. The big blind is twice as much as the small blind. If the big blind was $1000, then it is said that the blinds are 500 and 1000. This money is put into a place in the center of the table that is called the "pot"
Each player is given two cards face down. These are called the players "Hole Cards" or what the player has "in the hole". Once all the players have their hole cards, the betting starts. The player to the left of the Big Blind player starts the betting. The lowest amount that can be bet is the amount of the big blind. Players can bet more than the minimum. This is called "Raising". The most a player can raise is determined by the type of the game being played (see below) If a player raises, the amount he raised the pot to is the new minimum. Each player in turn may either "Call" (pay the minimum), Raise, or "Fold" (quit the hand). This action keeps going around the table until each player has called or folded his hand.
After the first turn of betting is over, the dealer lays three cards face up on the table. This is called the "Flop". These three cards are "community cards". This means they are used by every player in the game along with the two hole cards each player has. After the flop, another turn of betting takes place. There is no starting minimum bet in this turn (no blinds) unless a player makes a bet. Players may "Check" or bet nothing if no player before them in the turn has bet. If everyone checks, or if a player bets and all the others call or fold, then the turn of betting is over.
Next the dealer lays another community card face up. This card is called "the turn" (or 4th Street). Another series of betting comes after this. This beting is the same as after the Flop.
Finally the dealer lays the last community card know as "the river" (or 5th Street). This card is again followed by a turn of betting, calling and folding by the players.
With the five community cards and their two hole cards, each player makes the best 5 card poker hand he can. The player with the best poker hand wins the round and the pot. If two or more players have the same hand, those players split the pot evenly. If one person bets and all other players have folded, the hand ends then and that player wins.
[edit] Styles of play
Texas Hold'em can be played several ways, including Limit, Pot Limit and No Limit games. The version of the game usually is the maximum a player can raise at any one time.
[edit] Limit
Limit games have a set maximum that a player can raise at any time. If a game has a $10 limit, the most a raise can be is $10. If more than one person raises, each one can only raise $10 more than the last raise.
[edit] Example
In a 4 player game, Player A bets $10. Player B raises $10 (puts in $20 total), Player C calls Player B (puts in $20). Player D at this point can either fold, pay $20 (call player B) or raise $10 to a total of $30. Player A would go next and either call (paying the difference between his $10 bet and the current bet). This would continue until all players either call or fold.
[edit] Pot Limit
In Pot Limit games, the most a player can bet or raise is the total amount in the pot. With each bet or raise, the amount in the pot gets larger. This allows for larger raises.
[edit] No Limit
No limit Texas Hold'em is the most popular version. It is the version most often seen played by professional poker players on television at events like the World Series of Poker. In most No Limit Texas Hold'em games, all players start out with the same amount of money. As they play, each player who loses all his money is out of the event. The winner is the last person with money.
In No Limit, there is not a limit of how much can be bet at any time. A player can bet up to all money as he has. If a player bets all of his money, He is said to be "All In". If a player bets more money than another player has, the second player can call by going All In. If only those two players stay in the hand (all other players fold), the first player takes back any money that is over the amount the player going All In has. At this point, all betting stops. Both players show their hole cards and the dealer deals out the rest of the cards.
If a player goes All In and two or more players are still betting, the other betters can raise each other until they both call (or one of them also goes All In). A "side pot" is made in this case. It is the difference between the final bet and the first person's All In. Only the two players were not All In can win this pot. If the All In player wins the hand, he wins the main pot (His money plus an equal amount from each other player) and which ever of the other two players had the better hand wins the side pot. In an eight player game, it is possible to have several side pots with several people being All In at the same time. If there are not two player left who can bet, betting stops and all players turn their hands over.
[edit] Example
Player A bets $5000. Player B only has $3000. He goes All In. Player C Raises $2000 (puts in a total of $7000). Player A calls (puts in $2000). At this point, the main pot is worth $9000 ($3000 from each player). The side pot is worth $8000 ($7000 - $3000 from Players A and B)
If player A or C wins, He wins both the main pot and the side pot ($17,000) and Player B is out of the game since he is out of money. If player B wins, He wins the main pot and the side pot goes to which ever player has the best hand between players A and C.