The father of all poker games is Texas hold ‘em. The most popular by far of all the poker variants, all over the world millions of people play it everyday. The poker games that are usually shown on Television are more often than not Texas hold’em.

It’s a simple-minded game to get started with – a few quick pointers and you should be able to chase the course of play, including betting and understanding what makes up a winning hand. One thing that should be remembered is that, like all the other grand great games, Texas hold ‘em can be played very easily but it’s quite hard to master it.

To be a winner you should not only know all the rules but you need to have endurance, staying power, extensive experience and, most essential of all is the thorough knowledge of how to play and win the game.

Texas hold ‘em can be played very easily but it’s quite hard to master it.

Aim of the game:

In Texas hold ‘em poker seven cards are available to use, out of which you need to make the best five-card hand. Initially you will be dealing with two cards – which one has to keep for oneself. The five cards which are remaining are the community cards. These cards are dealt face-up in the middle to be used by every player to make hands.

Bet after the deal:

You have the chance to fold, call, or bet after the whole cards are dealt, it depends oh how best a hand you can think and build.

When the player sitting next to the big blind begins, the action starts.

Once you have finished the deal you have to at least call this bet to be in the game or you can even fold if you don’t conjure your luck. There is no option called checking here as the players who posted the blinds have successively unbolted the betting,

The action moves in a clockwise direction around the table until every participant has called, folded, or raised. The players can either check their own blind or raise if none of the participants has raised by the time the betting gets to the big blind

In certain games where the betting is limited to 3 raises – that is betting is restricted once three raises have been made at the table. Until and unless all the players either call the maximum bet or gone ‘all-in’ (bet all of their chips) there is no chance of Texas hold’em betting to continue.. and If bets continue to rise up after a player is worn-out, a side pot is created to wrap that bet.

The flop :

Once the first hurdle,that is, the first round of betting is out of the way its time that you get to see the flop. The flop contains three cards, dealt face-up in the middle of the table (‘on the board’). To build their hand each player can make use of these community cards.

At this moment you can go for next round of betting. In the second round you have to start the betting with the player sitting immediate left of the dealer, not considering the fact of whether the dealer is still active in the hand or not. The initial action for the rest of the hand will be kept by the player to the left of the dealer. Apart from this , the method of betting is similar as it was before the flop.

The turn card

Just like after the flop the round of betting is followed, here also the players make use of this again to construct their hands.

The river

Four gone….one remains.

The river- Time to deal with the fifth and the final community card that is the river.

Every participant(player) remaining in the hand can see what their best 5-card hand is once all the cards have been dealt.

This is also the end round of betting. It marks the final round of betting.

The showdown

Here comes the critical moment, when you have to see who obtains the pot.

Starting with the last person to bet and moving round the table clockwise every player who has remained in the hand can now show their cards.

Players who know that they’re packed down(beaten) have the choice of ‘mucking’ (throwing their cards away without showing). But there it is mandatory that the last player to bet (and first to show) always has to show their cards.

It is always well and good idea when you have the opportunity to a take note as after seeing the cards of other players,even if they lose,it becomes quite complicated to develop a good plan.

Hand ranks

The hands in Texas hold ‘em from first to last (best to worst) are graded as follows…

Royal flush

A royal flush is a direct flush which involves the 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace. Indeed,its is the father of all poker hands.

Full house

A combination of a pair and 3of a kind.

Flush

5ards of the same suit, for example five diamonds.

Straight

5 cards in sequential rank order, for example 8, 9, 10, Jack and a Queen. An ace can be used as both a high and a low card.

3 of same kind

This is where you have 3 cards of the same rank, for example 3 sevens It is also called trips.

2 Pair

Set of two cards with the same ranking.For instance-> two queens and two sixes.

Pair

This pair can be of any two cards but with the same ranking, for example two Queens. The ranking of pairs reflects that of the cards in general, so the strongest pair is a pair of Aces and the weakest a pair of 2s.

High card

The highest ranked card is an Ace, and the ranking runs from the Ace down through the picture cards all the way to two.

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