Hold'em Rules

Once a Player understands the basics of Texas Hold'em, you'll enjoy playing this game for years to come. This is the most popular Poker game in Vegas, or in the world for that matter, and it's simple to learn by following the easy Rules below.

You can also launch a very well done, Interactive description of Texas Hold'em by clicking here to see a one-on-one example of the game in action .

SEQUENCE OF PLAY FOR TEXAS HOLD'EM:

• Each Player is dealt two Cards face down (Pocket Cards)
• 1st Betting Round begins
• Dealer turns over three Community Board Cards (the Flop) face up
• 2nd Betting Round begins
• Dealer turns over one more Community Board Card (the Turn)
• 3rd Betting Round begins
• Dealer turns over one final Community Board Card (the River)
• Final Betting Round begins
• Showdown

At the Showdown for Texas Hold'em, Poker Rules indicate that Players may use either:

• Both Pocket Cards & three Board Cards
• One Pocket Card & four Board Cards
• All five Board Cards (playing the board)

BETTING IN TEXAS HOLD'EM:

There are four possible Betting Rounds in Texas Hold'em, shown in the Sequence of Play above. The general structure of play at an Online site does not differ from that of a Brick & Mortar Card Room.

Each Bet and Raise during the first two Rounds is set at the Lower-limit of the Stakes structure. For example, in a $5/$10 Texas Hold'em game, all Bets and Raises are $5 for the first two Rounds (after Pocket Cards are dealt, and after the Flop).

Betting and Raising during the last two Rounds is set at the Higher-limit of the Stakes structure. For example, all Bets and Raises are $10 for the last two Rounds (after the Turn and after the River), following accepted Poker Rules.

The maximum allowable number of Bets per Player during any Betting Round in Texas Hold'em is four. This includes a (1) Bet, (2) Raise, (3) Re-raise, and (4) Cap. The term Cap is used to describe the 3rd Raise in a Round since Betting is then Capped and can't be Raised further. Once Capped, Players will only have the option of Calling or Folding. Most Online Poker Rooms follow Standard Poker Rules in this regard. Note that there is no Cap to the number of Raises in No-Limit and Pot-Limit games.

Check-raising is allowed at most Poker sites.

BUTTON & BLINDS:

A flat disk is used at the Texas Hold'em Poker Tables. This is called the Dealer-Button which indicates the theoretical Dealer of each Hand.

After each Hand is completed, as defined in Standard Poker Rules, the Button then moves clockwise to the next Active Player. This Player will be considered to be Playing the Button for that Hand. In Texas Hold'em the Player to the left of the Button is first to receive a Card and is required to Post a Small Blind. The Small Blind is equal to half the Lower-limit Bet rounded down to the nearest dollar. The Player to the left of the Small Blind is required to post the Big Blind, equal to the Lower-limit Bet. These Poker Blind Structure Rules for Texas Hold'em are the same as found in Brick & Mortar Card Rooms.

Both Blinds in Texas Hold'em Poker are considered Live Bets and therefore, according to Poker Rules, Players have the option of Checking, Calling, Raising or Folding when the betting action returns to their position. After the Flop and each subsequent Betting Round, the first active Texas Hold'em Player left of the Button is first to act. In this manner, you experience a genuine Card Room experience.

When a Player first sits at an active Texas Hold'em Table they'll be required to Post the equivalent of the Big Blind, an important feature of Online Poker Rules. All Players have the option of Sitting Out and waiting for the actual Big Blind before starting to play Texas Hold'em. Fairness is ensured to all Players with these Rules. By preventing Players from constantly entering Poker games in a late position and leaving before they're required to Post, these Rules stop potential abuse of the Online environment.

ONE-ON-ONE TEXAS HOLD'EM:

In Heads-up Texas Hold'em Poker Rules, the Button posts the Small Blind. Before the Flop the Button is first to act. Heads-up Poker Rules dictate that Betting Rounds are Capped after a total of six Bets instead of the usual four.