Texas Hold'em: Set-Up and Play (short version)
Introduction
Texas Hold'em Poker is a community card game with four betting rounds.
Game Play
- One player acts as dealer. This position is called the button and it rotates clockwise after every hand.
- The two players to the left of the dealer are the small blind and the big blind, respectively. They are the only players who have money in the pot before the cards are dealt.
- Every player receives two cards face down. These are hole cards.
- The first betting round begins with the player sitting immediately to the left of the big blind, and continues clockwise.
- When the first betting round is completed, three community cards are flipped face up on the table. This is called the flop.
- The second round of betting begins with the first remaining player seated to the left of the button. The betting resumes, clockwise.
- When the second round of betting is finished, a fourth community card is flipped face up on the table. This is called the turn.
- The third round of betting commences with the first remaining player sitting to the left of the button. The betting moves clockwise, with the bets doubling on the turn.
- When the third round of betting is over, a fifth community card is flipped face up on the table. This is called the river.
- The fourth round of betting starts with the first remaining player seated to the left of the button. The betting continues to move clockwise.
How to make a hand
The players must combine their hole cards with the community cards to make the best possible 5-card poker hand. It is possible to use both hole cards, one hole card or no hole card (play the board), in an effort to make a hand.
Example
Hold'em
| Hole Cards A | | Hole Cards B |
|---|
  | |   |
| The Flop | The Turn | The River |
|---|
   |  |  |
| Final Hand A | Final Hand B |
|---|
Two pair (Q's and 3's with a K) |
Two pair (K's and 3's with an A) |
Action begins
Action ends
Ranking of hands
- Straight flush (the best straight flush hand: A-K-Q-J-T, all of the same suit)
- Four-of-a-kind (the best four-of-a-kind hand: A-A-A-A-K)
- Full house (the best full house hand: A-A-A-K-K)
- Flush (the best flush hand: any Ace-high flush)
- Straight (the best straight hand: A-K-Q-J-T)
- Three-of-a-kind (the best three-of-a-kind hand: A-A-A-K-Q)
- Two-pair (the best two-pair hand: A-A-K-K-Q)
- One-pair (the best one-pair hand: A-A-K-Q-J)
- No-pair (the best high hand: A-K-Q-J-9)
Video Poker.
Video poker first made its entry in the casinos during the 1970s; today it's one of the most popular forms of gambling both online and down the Vegas strip. For the player who like a game of skill, a low house edge, the possibility of large wins, and the anonymity of playing alone there is nothing else that can compare to video poker. In addition, you can also switch your bet from $0.25 to $5 a game without changing to another machine!
There are many variations of the game each with its own particular strategy but in general, the rules of video poker are simple; you play with 1 to 5 coins, the machine give you five cards, you choose which to hold and which to discard, the machine replaces your discards and pays you off according to the value of your hand.
A popular game amongst gamblers, this well-liked game combines elements of both slots and poker and gives the player a definite opportunity to win. Unlike roulette or slots that are dependant almost purely on ‘luck', Video Poker is an effective blend of both luck and strategy. If you learn to use the best strategy and are blessed with luck along with it, there is nothing to stop you from doing very well. With so many different games, we could have written enough on the various strategies to fit a phone book. However, instead of boring you we'll give you the concise version:
New video poker players should master ‘Jacks or Better' first. This variation has the easiest strategy to understand.
Some players don't realize the ace is not the most important card in the deck, but the Jack is. Holding the Jack over the ace gives you more opportunities of making more lucrative hands than an ace would.
Always bet the maximum amount of coins on a progressive machine to get the bonus for royal flushes.
If you are a novice player, play on the lowest denomination machine until your level of expertise rises.
Never keep a single high card such as J, Q, K or A that has the potential to turn into a winning pair with any pair or three of a kind. By holding onto these, the player reduces his return by 5%.
Take your time, especially if you're playing multi-hand Video Poker. You will not hit on a better hand or have better results if you rush through your games. All rushing does is lead to reckless play and more losses. Instead you will allow more bang for your buck and ensure better play, therefore better results.
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