About Texas Hold'em

TEXAS HOLD'EM RULES - Download PDF

PLAYING TEXAS HOLD'EM

1. The player to deal the first hand can be decided by any method. Typically, one card is dealt face up to each player and the high card (or first ace) is the dealer.

2. The dealer puck is placed in front of the dealer.

3. The player to the left of the dealer puck posts the small blind and the player to the left of the small blind posts the big blind, which also serves as the minimum bet amount.

4. The dealer offers a cut to the player to the right of the dealer puck. The cut card is used, and remains on the bottom of the deck for the duration of the hand.

5. Each player, beginning with the player to the left of the dealer puck, is dealt two cards face-down (known as Pocket Cards). These cards are not shown to anyone else until the end of the hand.

6. The first betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind. Each player, including the small and big blinds, may fold, check, call, or raise, as appropriate, when called upon to act.

7. The first betting round is complete when all players have acted at least once and have contributed the same amount of chips to the pot. The cumulative number of raises for each round of betting shall not exceed three, unless otherwise stated before the game.

8. The dealer burns one card, then turns up three community cards in the center of the table (known as the Flop).

9. The second betting round begins with the player to the left of the dealer puck.

10. The dealer burns one card, then turns up one community card (known as Fourth Street or the Turn).

11. The third betting round begins with the player to the left of the dealer puck.

12. The dealer burns one card, then turns up the last community card (known as Fifth Street or the River).

13. The fourth, and final, betting round begins with the player to the left of the dealer puck. All players calling the bet or bets turn up their cards, known as the Card Showdown, with the pot being awarded to the winner(s).

14. The dealer puck is then advanced clockwise one player.

HOW TO BET

1. The dealer shall ensure that each bettor bets the proper number of chips.

2. Bets shall remain in front of the bettor until the betting round is complete, at which point they are pushed into the pot.

3. The pot shall be placed in the center of the table, to the side of the community cards.

4. Side pots shall be placed as close as possible to the players involved in that side pot. (CR, needs to be more clear, first time you mentioned a side pot, all in)

THE COMMUNITY CARDS

1. The five community cards (Flop, Turn and River) shall be placed face-up in the center of the table with the pot to the side.

2. The community cards must be placed in proper order with the Turn card placed to the right of the Flop cards, and the River card placed to the right of the Turn card.

THE SHOWDOWN

1. A player must show all cards in the hand face-up on the table to win any part of the pot.

2. If everyone checks (or is all-in) on the final betting round, the player who acted first is the first to show the hand. If there is wagering on the final betting round, the last player to take aggressive action by a bet or raise is the first to show the hand.

3. Cards speak for themselves. The dealer assists in reading hands, but players are responsible for holding onto their cards until the winner is declared.

4. Suits never break a tie for winning a pot.

5. In determining the winning hand, if all five cards are not used to make a hand, the rank of the side cards (kicker cards) shall determine which hand is better.

6. If two or more hands tie, any odd chip will be awarded to the first hand clockwise from the dealer puck.

7. After the showdown the dealer shall push (award) the pot to the winner and then advance the dealer puck clockwise one player.

WHEN ONLY TWO PLAYERS REMAIN

1. When going from three to two players, determine which player would have been the next big blind if no player had been eliminated ... that player is the big blind and the other player is the small blind.

2. The player who does not have the dealer puck shall be dealt the first card.

3. The small blind shall act first on the first betting round and last on all other betting rounds.

IF USING TWO DECKS OF CARDS

1. The player to the right of the dealer puck shall cut the deck.

2. The player to the left of the dealer puck shall shuffle the deck dealt in the previous hand.

ROYAL STRAIGHT FLUSH
STRAIGHT FLUSH
FOUR OF A KIND
FULL HOUSE
FLUSH
STRAIGHT
THREE OF A KIND
TWO PAIR
ONE PAIR
HIGH CARD

TEXAS HOLD'EM GLOSSARY

If you play Texas Hold'em regularly or watch it on television, you have probably heard some terms used to describe different playing methods, cards, actions, etc. We've included a glossary of some of the most common terms.

ALL-IN: When poker flourished in the Old West, if a player didn't have enough money to call a wager, he could be eliminated from the pot with no chance of winning, regardless of how good his hand was. In today's poker games a player is allowed to put all the chips remaining in his stack into the pot while betting or calling. The dealer creates a new pot for the players who still have money and want to bet their hands. If the player who is "all-in" has the best hand at the end, he wins the pot he has invested in.

BACKDOOR: As the name implies, you come into a good hand through the backdoor, not the main door. In other words, you might be holding Jh 4h. On the Flop you get one heart and perhaps a card to pair one of your pocket cards, which gives you a pair with a longshot at a flush. And when you make the flush with hearts on the Turn and the River, you've made a flush through the backdoor.

BAD BEAT: When you have a good hand and somebody stays in the pot with a hand that has less value and eventually beats you.

BIG BLIND: The bigger of the two forced wagers in a Texas Hold'em game.

BLANK: A community card that provides no help to your hand (also known as a brick).

BLIND: A forced wager put in by the first two players to the left of the dealer before any cards are dealt.

BLUFF: Betting or raising when you have an average or weak hand, hoping everyone else will fold.

BOARD: The five community cards in a Texas Hold'em game. Displayed in three sequences known as the Flop, Turn, and River cards.

BUY (THE POT): To bluff, hoping to win the pot without being called.

CALLING STATION: A weak or passive player who calls a lot of bets, but doesn't bet, raise, or fold much.

CHECK (VERB): Opting to pass on betting. When you check, you can still call (or raise) another player's wager.

CHECK /RAISE: To check and then raise when a later player bets.

COMMUNITY CARDS: The cards in the center of the table that can be used by all players. Referred to as the Flop, the Turn and the River (also known as the Board).

DEALER PUCK: A white disk engraved with the word "Dealer", used to make sure everyone puts in the blinds in a specified rotation. Also known as the button.

DRAWING DEAD: The act of trying to make a hand that, even if you are successful, is a loser. For example, if you're hoping to make 3 of a kind, and your opponent already has a straight.

FLOP: The first three community cards that are dealt face up at the same time.

FLUSH: Having five cards of the same suit.

FREE CARD: A Turn or River card on which you don't have to call a bet because of play earlier in the hand.

HEADS UP: A pot that is being contested by only two players.

KICKER: An unpaired card used to determine the better of two near-equivalent hands.

LIMP IN: When you just call another player's bet. You don't raise.

MUCK (NOUN): The pile of folded and burned cards in front of the dealer.

MUCK (VERB): The act of folding, or throwing away your hand.

NO-LIMIT: A version of poker in which a player may bet any amount of chips (up to the number in front of him) whenever it is his turn to act.

NUTS: The best possible five card hand when considering the board.

ON THE BUTTON OR ON THE PUCK: The dealer position which is the last position to act in each betting round after the Flop.

OPEN-ENDED STRAIGHT DRAW: You have K,10. The Flop comes J, Q, 5. Either a 9 or an Ace will complete your open-ended straight.

OUT: A card, or cards, that will make your hand win. Example: "I need a 6 to get a straight, so I have four outs."

OVERCALL: To call a bet after one or more others players have already called.

OVERCARD: A card higher than any card on the board, normally refers to one or both of your pocket cards.

OVERPAIR: A pocket pair higher than any card on the Flop. If you have Q-Q and the Flop comes J-7-4, you have an overpair.

PLAY THE BOARD: To showdown a hand in hold'em when your cards don't make a hand any better than is shown on the board.

POCKET: Your two unique cards that only you can see.

RAGS: Small or unplayable cards.

RAINBOW: A Flop that contains three different suits, or a complete five card board that has no more than two of any suit.

RIVER: The fifth and final community card, put out face up, by itself. Also known as " fifth street ".

ROCK: A player who plays very tight and bets or raises only with the best of hands.

RUNNER: Typically said "runner-runner" to describe a hand which was made only by catching the correct cards on both the Turn and the River. Many times a "runner-runner" will lead to a bad beat.

SHORT STACK: A number of chips that is not very many when compared to the other players at the table.

SHOWDOWN: The point at which all players remaining in the hand turn their cards up and determine who has the best hand.

SLOW PLAY: To play a strong hand weakly so more players will stay in the pot.

SMALL BLIND: The smaller of the two forced wagers in a Texas Hold'em game.

SPLIT POT: A pot which is shared by two or more players because they have equivalent hands.

STRAIGHT: Five cards in sequential order.

STRAIGHT DRAW: Needing another card to make your straight.

SUITED: A starting hand in which the two hole cards are the same suit.

TELL: A clue or hint that a player unknowingly gives about the strength of his hand, his next action, etc.

THREE OF A KIND: Having three of the same card (also known as trips)

TILT: To play wildly or recklessly usually after a bad beat.

TOP PAIR: A pair with the highest card on the Flop. If you have K-9, and the Flop comes K-8-5, you have flopped top pair.

TURN: The fourth community or board card. Put out face up, by itself. Also known as " fourth street ."

TWO PAIR: Two separate pairs of cards. Example 7-7 and 9-9.

UNDER THE GUN: The position of the player who acts first on a betting round. For instance, if you are one to the left of the big blind, you are under the gun before the Flop.

TIPS

Many beginners don't realize how important it is to have a well-defined strategy for playing their first two cards. It's not a good idea to get excited about an ace-king suited or a pair of nines without considering some important factors. Players who think any two decent cards are worth playing-without considering several very important dynamics-usually end up donating chips to other players-regularly.

There are several factors to a starting strategy - steps you must master before you can get creative. These factors are chair position, number of players, opponent styles, bankroll, and the fear factor.

Chair Position
Where are you seated in relation to the dealer? Are you two to four seats to his left? If so, you are in early position and you want to be cautious about playing anything, but the strongest hands. A full table of players has a chance to raise and re-raise and this could put you in a not-so-good spot. If you are four to six seats to the left of the dealer then you are in middle position and you have additional hands you can add to your starting strategy. If you are seated in any of the remaining spots, you are considered to be in late position and not only can you expand the card requirements, but you can also try to finesse or bluff others out of the pot.

Number of Players
If you're at a full table , the chances that someone has a strong hand are pretty good. Plus, the more people in the pot, the increased chance that somebody will improve his or her hand. You'll want to evaluate the strength of your hand and adjust for a full table.

Opponent Styles
One of the smartest moves you can make is folding the first few hands-no matter how good they look. This gives you the opportunity to assess your opponents. Watch the game; see who completes hands and what they were holding. Watch for the super aggressive player and stay away from him unless you have a powerhouse hand. As for the passive player, look to steal his blinds and his pots because he will probably be fearful of losing.

Bankroll
It should be understood that the less money you have the more cautiously you should play. With a minimal amount of money you should select the very best playing hands and play them aggressively. If it means you have to go all in, by all means do so. The advantage to going all in comes when other players relax their play in hopes of grabbing your last few chips. Many times the game will become short-handed when a player goes all in and this, as noted above, can work to your advantage. This doesn't mean you can go crazy if you have lots of chips. You might make some bluffing moves but overall, keep in mind you want to win chips and if your bankroll and constant aggressive moves don't scare players out then don't waste your time.

Fear Factor
Understand one thing--no matter how many people bet pre-flop, barring the rare tie hands there's going to be just one winner when the last chip goes into the pot. It would be nice if that winner was you every time but that's just not going to happen. You're probably not even going to win half the pots you enter. This fact alone had a tendency to upset some players because they are afraid of losing their money, ergo, they become afraid to bet. Playing poker is a risky business; you have to be able to tolerate that risk if you expect to win. You can cut down on your losses by following a strict strategy.

Remember, beginning players very often play too many hands pre-flop then stay too long once they've committed. Don't let this be your downfall.

TELLS

What is a Poker Tell? A tell is any habit, behavior, or physical reaction, that gives other players more information about your hand. I was always told the term "Tell", came from the old telegraph. Like a player would telegraph (Tell) what he/she was trying to keep secret. The following are tells and tips can apply to both the beginner and advanced players. But always remember that an experienced player will imitate a Tell just to throw off his opponent.

Watch the Eyes
This is why many players wear sunglasses or hats/visors/caps when playing, they know that the eyes rarely lie. For example, many players can't help but to stare at good hole cards, so their length of time peeking is generally longer. Conversely, if a player is looking to steal the pot, he may look to his left to see if the remaining players, who haven't yet acted, have quickly glanced at their cards and are likely to fold. Another example, a player may try to ask you questions about your hand, knowing that people rarely can "look someone straight in the eyes" while being dishonest.

Facial Expression
Again, many players try to disguise their entire face by wearing a cap and looking downward. This is to avoid the stare-down that some poker pros are famous for. They may try to study your face for nervousness (detecting a weak hand), or even look for repetitive characteristics like a body "tic". You may have obvious discomfort in your face when your hand is weak, and conversely, you may show a contrasting show of confidence when your hand is strong.

Anxiety
Anxiety typically occurs in people when they are confronted, or anticipating confrontation. Physical changes happen including flexing of muscles, eye pupil dilation, palpitating heart rate, dry throat. In poker, when someone has a big hand they are typically ready for confrontation and can exhibit some of these characteristics. You may see the chest expanding abnormally, or you may notice the players voice become slightly higher as he makes a comment. Some of the top players in the game will stare at the vein on the top-side of your face for blood pressure changes. During a bluff, the player may demonstrate anxiety, but if he knows he will fold the hand if re-raised (non-confrontational end) may look quite comfortable.

Weak is Strong/Strong is Weak
In its most simplistic form, this usually applies to novice players but frequently applies to pros as well. Basically, players like to be actors, and when they have a huge hand they tend to look disinterested. For example: "Oh, is it my turn "or "dang, I guess I will play these cards". Alternatively, a player increasing the level of his voice while raising the pot, and trying to look intimidating - may be running a bluff.

Trembling Hands
Also, a byproduct of anxiety, beware of a player whose hands are shaking, this nervousness can represent a monster hand.

Glance at Chips
Again, relating to the eyes. It is common for players to quickly glance at their chips if they connect with the board after a Flop. This may be a subconscious reaction, but the player is already planning his attack.

Peeking Hole Cards on Flop
Some players will take another look at their hole cards when, for example, the board is showing a potential 3 card flush draw. Typically, the player is looking to see if one of his cards is connecting, because he remembers only that the two cards are different suits.

Repetitive Betting Patterns
Usually the most revealing tells are based on the way a player habitually bets during particular situations. For example, maybe the player always checks when he has made the nuts, or a player may regularly fold after being re-raised.

Body Posture/Attitude
Some players show obvious changes in their posture based on their attitude/hand strength. For instance, you may notice their shoulders drop/slump when they are not confident (weak hand). Conversely, you may notice the player is very attentive and sitting in an erect position when he has strength. You may also notice that a player who bluffs a lot, leans forward in a confrontational way... remember Strong is Weak!

Chip Stacking
When you first sit down at a table, study the way the players stack their chips. Although it is a generalization, loose aggressive players typically maintain unorganized/sloppy stacks, while tight conservative players keep well organized/neat stacks.

ABOUT TEXAS HOLD'EM