In this article you will learn how to play texas holdem poker. It’s a game where two or more players can get involved.In this example we will show you a six player poker game, the most popular form of poker on the internet. In each round one player posts the small blind and another player posts the big blind. These are compulsory bets for these two players. The other four players can play for free. To make it fair, in the next round a different player has to post the small blind and a different player has to post the big blind. There are four betting rounds in the game of poker.
Texas Holdem Poker Rounds
In the first round, called the preflop round, the player acting next to the big blind position begins. There are three different options this player can take, he can call, which means putting in the big blind, he can raise which means putting in more money than the big blind and the last option is folding which means you throw your cards away. The next player will also have similar options to call, fold or raise. Once every player has contributed the same amount of money the chips are moved to the middle of the table and the second round, the flop round, begins.
In the second round three community cards are dealt face up on the poker table, every player can use his two private cards and the three community cards to form a five card poker hand. The small blind player is the first to act, he can check which means not betting anything or he can bet by putting some money in the middle which other players will have to match if they want to stay in the game. The final option is to fold which means to throw your cards away. Just like in the preflop round, when someone has finished acting, the player to his left will act. Let’s say that the first player bet 10 chips, the next player can either fold or call which means matching the bet of 10 chips or he can raise which means putting in more than 10 chips such as 30 chips. Once everyone has contributed the same amount of money the third betting round, the Turn round, begins.
One more community card will be dealt on the table, which means there are now six cards available to you, two in your hand and four on the table. You can use any five out of the six cards to form a five card poker hand. How you play in the third betting round is exactly the same as how you play in the second betting round. Once everyone has contributed the same amount of money in the turn round we come to the last betting round, the river round.
One more community card will be dealt face up on the poker table which means there are now seven cards available to you, two in your hand and five on the table. You can use any five out of the seven cards to form a five card poker hand. The fourth betting round is played in exactly the same way as the second and third betting rounds. After the four rounds of betting, any player remaining has to show his cards in the showdown. Whoever has the best five card poker hand wins the pot, the rest lose. It’s a winner takes all game and that’s why poker is attractive cause when you win, you win big.
To conclude, your decision to either bet, fold, call, raise or check should depend on how strong your five card poker hand is.