Summary of Texas Hold'em Poker Rules
Preflop:
Texas Hold’Em Poker starts with the two players left of the dealer (the button) putting a predetermined amount of money, also known as posting the blinds. Each player is afterwards dealt two cards known as ‘hole cards’. This is followed by a round of betting starting with the person left of the blinds. Players are allowed to call, raise or fold, except the Big Blind, who has the option of checking.
The Flop:
3 community cards are dealt face up, these cards are known as the ‘flop’. After the flop another round of betting takes place starting with the player left of the button. All players are allowed to check, call, raise or fold.
Turn/Fourth street:
Another community card is dealt face up known as the ‘turn’. After the turn the 3rd round of betting begins; starting with the player left of the button. All players are allowed to check, call, raise or fold.
River/Fifth street:
A final community card is dealt face up and the 4th and last betting round begins. Players can now use any combination of seven cards – five community cards and two hole cards – to form the best possible five-card hand. After the last betting round all players who remain in the game will reveal their cards and the best hand will take down the pot.
Quick poker glossary:
The most common poker words explained:
| Ante: | An ante is a forced bet in which all players put an equal amount of money or chips into the pot before the deal begins. | |
| Bet: | To voluntarily put money or chips into the pot. | |
| Blinds: | Short for ‘Blind bets’. Blinds are forced bets posted by the two players left of the dealer. | |
| Bluff: | To bet or raise with a hand that is unlikely to be the best hand. | |
| Button: | Button is a marker used to indicate the player who is dealing, he is also the last one to act after the flop. | |
| Check: | To abstain from betting, reserving the right to call or raise if another player bets. If there is no raise preflop, the big blind may check. | |
| Drawing hand: | A hand that is incomplete and needs further cards to become valuable. | |
| Flop: | The first three community cards dealt. | |
| Fold: | To withdraw from the hand rather than bet or raise; to give up. | |
| Preflop: | Anything that occurs before the flop is dealt is preflop. | |
| River/Fifth street: | The final and 5th community card dealt. | |
| Raise: | To increase the previous bet. | |
| Showdown: | When players reveal their hands to discover the pots winner | |
| Turn/Fourth street: | The fourth community card dealt. |
