How to play Texas Hold ‘Em

Are you a Texas Hold ‘Em poker newbie? Then that is not a problem. If you are beginner in poker, then Texas Hold ‘Em is the ideal game for you. This poker variant can be learned in a few minutes and beginners can play fairly well after a few hours of practice. Online poker rooms have several fake money tables where beginners may practice for free. So, get ready, within 15 minutes, you’ll be able to play Texas Hold ‘Em. Here’s how the game goes…

• Two players from the dealer’s left will place out forced bets or what we call, blind sets. The player from the direct left of the dealer will place up the small blind while the player two to the dealer’s left will place up the big blind. These are designed to keep the game moving by keeping money in the pot as well as ensuring an end to the game given that infrequent bettors will still have their chips reduced despite their inaction.
• After shuffling 52 playing cards, each player is dealt with two private cards facing down. These are called pocket cards.
• The player to the left of the big blind will make the first move. The players can either call the blind amount, raise by betting an additional amount, or fold. The betting will be done clockwise.
• After the betting, three cards are flipped upside to the center of the table. The first three cards are referred to as the flop. These “community cards” will be used in combination with the players’ pocket cards.
• The player from the left of the dealer begins with another round of betting. Once complete, the fourth card which is also called the ‘turn’ or the ‘street’ is faced up on the table. It is followed by another round of betting.
• Then the final card, also known as the river, is dealt faced up.
• The final round of betting takes place. The player that can show the best five cards using a combination of their pocket cards and the community cards, wins.
• The hands ranks from best to worst are Royal Flush (10 through ace in the same suit), Straight Flush (same suit, sequential numbers), Four Of A Kind, Full House (three cards of a matching rank plus two cards of another matching rank), Flush (five cards of the same suit), Straight (five cards in sequence, not suited), Three Of A Kind, Two Pair, Pair, High Card (if none of the previous hands are made, the highest card wins).

Once you’ve got the basics, it’s all down to practice and patience! Good luck.

Poker Etiquette

No matter what poker game you play, the key is good behavior. In poker, there are basic etiquettes a player has to know and follow. So, whether you are playing at the casino, at home, or elsewhere, this set of unwritten poker rules would assure you and your opponents a fair and smooth game.

• Wait for your turn. No matter how excited you are to raise the pot or fold a hand, you have to wait until it is your turn to do so. Because if you play out of your turn then other players might get information they should not have.
• While the hand is going, avoid talking about your cards. Yes, it is very tempting to talk about what could have happened if you have stayed in. But this might give them information that they can use for their advantage.
• Do not show your cards, wait for the showdown. Refrain from flashing or flipping over the card as you toss them into the pile of discarded card or what we call the muck.
• Splashing the pot is a no-no. Imagine a player throws his bet on the big mess on the center of the pot, that is splashing the plot. This act makes it hard to tell how much you have bet and it is considered bad manners to the rest of the table.
• Avoid String bets. You have to be clear if you are going to raise or call. Once you say “call,” then stick to it. If you want to “raise,” then declare the amount right away.
• Do not be rude. Even if you are losing, never curse other players or abuse the dealer. You will not only lose the poker game but your friends as well. Some players use abusive behaviour to put their opponents on tilt i.e. Mike ‘The Mouth’ Matusow but it is still considered poor form and unnecessary.