Texas Hold’em Poker: Official Rules and How to Win?

Poker is a popular card game all over the world. “Texas Hold’em” is the most popular poker variation, and we are going to explain you the official rules. The introduction to casino poker gaming begins Now!

Texas Hold’em Poker

Poker is thought to have started in 1829, when French settlers in New Orleans started playing this game. Initially, players would place bets on which hand they believed would become the strongest. Poker evolved over time, with four players each starting with five cards. As time passed, a standard 52-card deck was used, and the game evolved into what is now known as “Texas Hold’em”.

Texas Hold’em Poker: Rules

Poker is a game of part information in which the majority of the outcomes are determined by the player’s skill rather than luck, contrary to popular belief. This is most likely why the game became so popular around the world.

Each player is dealt two cards, which they use to form a stronger hand than their opponents by combining them with common table cards. Poker is played with a standard 52-card deck. The game can have anywhere from 2 to 10 players at one table.  Tournament poker and cash games are the two main types of games. The rules of the game remain essentially the same, but the specifics change: in cash games, real money is used, while in tournament poker, players pay a buy-in and then compete to collect all of the other players’ chips.

Getting back to the rules, poker begins with the dealing of cards: a shuffled 52-card deck is used, and each player is dealt two cards based on their position. Positions are important in poker because card dealing rotates clockwise among players. In a casino, the dealer simply moves a token to indicate from whom the cards are currently being dealt.

The first two positions after the dealer – players who must make forced bets – the small blind and big blind. The first player makes their decision in the position right after the forced bets.

If at least two players decide to continue, the first three cards on the table (the flop) are revealed, and the decision is made by the player in the previous position, clockwise from the dealer. As the game progresses, a fourth card on the table (the turn) is revealed (before removing one card from the deck), and later (before removing one card from the deck), a fifth and final card (the river) is revealed.

Player Actions

Folding, checking, raising, and calling are the four basic player actions at a poker table. Let’s take a quick look at each: Folding – this action results in your withdrawal from the hand. Folding involves not putting in your chips, raising, being re-raised by an opponent, checking, and folding when your opponent raises. When you fold, the chips or money you put into the pot are not returned to you.

Checking – an action that can be taken while playing that does not require the use of additional chips and allows the player to keep the hand. It can also be used to see if no one else has raised before you after placing the big blind. Raising – an action in which the number of chips or money is increased in order to continue playing. Other players who wants to continue the game must respond to your raised amount. Calling – an action in which you match your opponent’s bet or raise. For example, if you are in the position of the big blind and have put in 1 euro to the pot, and your opponent raises to 3, you will need to add an additional 2 to continue playing.

Texas Hold’em Poker: Hands

High Card – a poker hand in which your held cards do not form any stronger hands. For example, if your hand are A-8 and the table cards consist of 2-3-6-J-K, in this case, your hand is considered to have the highest card. If your opponent also has an Ace, the strength of your hand is determined by your next highest card, which is 8.

One Pair – a simple combination of two cards of the same rank. For example, suppose you have 8-5 in your hand and the table cards are 2-3-6-8-Q. In this case, you have a pair of eights.

Two Pairs – a combination that requires two pairs of cards of the same rank. For instance, suppose you have a hand of 9-7 and the table cards are 9-7-4-J-Q. Your hand is made up of two pairs of nines and sevens.

Three of a Kind – a combination that is very simple to understand because the name itself indicates what is required to create this hand. This combination requires three cards of the same rank. For example, suppose you have 9-7 in your hand and the table cards are 9-9-3-5-Q.

Straight – five cards in a row, for instance: 4-5-6-7-8. An ace can be used to start a turn as a “unit” or as an ace, which comes before the king.

Flush – five cards of the same suit (for example, spades, clubs, hearts, or diamonds). Cards of the same symbol do not have to be consecutive, but they must be of the same symbol.

Full House – a combination that is collected from three identical cards and an additional pair. For example, if you have a 9-8 and the common table cards are 9-9, two any cards and an 8, you will have a full house combination.

Four of a Kind –  as with three of a kind, the goal is to collect four of the same cards, such as four eights, four fives, and so on.

Straight Flush – a combination (row) of five consecutive cards with only one color (symbol) sign. two, three, four, five, and six of dimonds, for example.

Royal Flush – the highest possible combination, five consecutive cards of the same suit, from 10 to ace.

F.A.Q

Are forced bets necessary?

Yes, forced bets – the big and small blinds – are required to play a hand. Otherwise, you will be unable to begin a real money game, and in a tournament, you will simply “sit-out”.

What’s the strongest poker hand?

The Royal Flush – is an unbeatable poker combination consisting of five consecutive cards of the same suit, from 10 to Ace. This combination is uncommon in “Texas Hold’em” poker. A Royal Flush is estimated to occur once every 2,598,960 hands.

What’s the strongest starting hand in poker?

The strongest starting hand you can get in “Texas Hold’em” Poker is a pair of Aces (two Aces).

Learn more about board games

If you enjoy playing Texas Hold’em poker, you might also like other games. We invite you to read and learn about the rules of chess, blackjack, and checkers.