TEXAS HOLDEM POKER

In the Texas Hold’em variant of the game of poker, each player across the table is dealt only two personal cards, known as HOLE CARDS. This is followed by a round of betting and further followed by three cards opening up at once, known as the FLOP. This is followed by another round of betting before the fourth card or fourth street or TURN card is opened. 

Yet another round of betting is allowed before the fifth card or fifth street or the RIVER card opens on the board. Another round of betting is here followed by the showdown. Players across the table try to find their best combination of five cards which can be either their own hole cards or the 5 cards on the board, known as community cards. Players can even use all five board cards to create a hand if required. 

In Texas Hold’em, a dealer button is used while the typical structure is to have a small blind and big blind, left of the dealer. However, different variations of the game can be possibly played with just one blind, while multiple blinds, an ante, or a combination of blinds plus an ante have also been played.

Rounds of Betting

• Dealing – Here, every player is dealt two hole cards each.
• Pre-flop betting – Starting with the player left to the Big Blind, players can either call the big blind, raise, or fold.
• Flop – Here, the dealer opens 3 cards face up after burning one card. These are referred to as the flop. All community cards are together referred to as the board.
• Second round betting – The player to the left of the button begins by either checking or betting. Once a bet is placed, each player can either raise, call, or fold.
• Turn – Here, the dealer adds a fourth community card face up after burning another card.
• Third round betting – The same format of betting as the second round is followed. In limit games, the bets are usually doubled.
• River – Here, the dealer adds a fifth and final community card face up after burning another card.
• Final round betting –  The same format of betting as the second and third round is followed.
• Showdown – Using the best 5-card combinations of each one’s hole cards and the community cards, the players still in the pot reveal their hands. The bettor or last raiser reveals first and the best 5-card hand wins the pot. The pot can be evenly split among the winning hands in the case of a tie in the best hand. For the best hands, see below…

Hand rankings in Texas Hold’em

Credits: OddsShark