Texas Holdem Rules

Texas Holdem poker is the most popular poker game in the known universe. The three three types of Texas Holdem games are:

• Limit Holdem -- a specific betting limit is applied in each game and on each round of betting.
• Pot Limit Holdem -- each player can bet whatever is in the pot.
• No Limit Holdem -- each player can bet all of their chips at any time.

Basic Rules

When playing Texas Hold'em, each player get two down cards and five face-up cards in the middle of the table, known as community cards. Each hand is determined by using the best five of those seven cards (of any combination). The best hand wins the pot.

Texas Holdem consist of four betting rounds.

In Limit Holdem, each round of betting consist of one bet and three raises. To stay in play, each player must act on each betting round and call all action to them. Betting is always in a clockwise rotation.

This is the basic procedure for all Texas Holdem games:

1. Before the deal, two blinds (the Small Blind and the Big Blind) are placed in the pot by the two players to the immediate left of the dealer. The dealer is indicated by the red dealer button. The blinds are put in to start the action.
2. Each player receives two down, or hole, cards. Play begins with the player to the left of the Big Blind folding, calling or raising. It continues with all players making one of those three decisions, making the first betting round.
3. After the first round of betting, the second round of betting begins when the dealer will turn over three cards, called community cards, and known as "The Flop". Beginning with this round, the player to the left of the dealer button acts first. A player may now check (not bet or fold) or bet if there is no betting in front of them. If there is betting and/or raising in front of them, they may Call, Raise, or Fold.
4. When play on the "flop" is completed, the dealer turns over another card. This is known as "The Turn" or "Fourth Street", and makes up the third round of betting. (In Limit Hold'em, the amount bet doubles on "The Turn".) The betting again starts with the player closest to the left of the dealer button.
5. After "the turn", the dealer reveals the last card, known as "The River" card or "Fifth Street". This is the final round of betting.
6. Upon completion of the final round of betting, the best hand wins the pot.