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Texas Holdem Poker Rules

In Poker, just like life, there are winners and losers. Poker Wingman gives you the edge to be a winner at Texas holdem poker - life is up to you. Whether you're playing for bragging rights or beer money, poker will test your skills and strategic abilities. But to win the game, you've got to know the rules. Learn all the Texas holdem poker rules here.

Texas holdem Poker in a Nutshell

There are two kinds of Texas holdem poker – Limit or No Limit. Limit games have a maximum bet for each hand, and in No Limit games a player can bet all their chips on the table in one hand (go ALL IN). Texas holdem poker can be played with 2-10 people. Most online games have 6, 9, or 10 player tables.

To start the game, the deck is shuffled, the blinds are posted and each player is dealt two cards face down, his hole cards. Then, according to Texas holdem poker rules, five 'community' cards are dealt in the middle of the table, in a sequence of 3 cards (Flop), then 1 card (Turn), then the last card (River). All players can use the community cards. The winner has the best 5 card hand, made from their hole cards and/or the community cards.

Wanna bet? Texas holdem poker is split into four rounds of betting; pre-Flop, on the Flop, the Turn and the River. The betting moves clockwise around the table, starting from the player position next to the dealer button, which moves one place to the left after each hand. In online games, the dealer button replaces the 'real' dealer. In each round of betting, the players must decide to check, fold, call, or raise. After the final round of betting, if there is more than one player left in the game, there is a showdown in which the players reveal their cards and the highest hand wins. If two players share an identical hand, the pot is split.

The Details on Texas holdem Poker

Choosing a Table

First, launch your online poker room of choice, log-in, and select a table in the lobby. Game selection is critical when you’re learning to play, so choose the type of game and table stakes that is best for your skill level. Make sure that there is a seat available at the table – you can see this in number of players (e.g. 7/9). Open the table window, usually by double-clicking it or by clicking the "Go to this table" button in the lobby.

Next up - launch Poker Wingman and click Connect. Don't forget to use the Bankroll Calculator to make sure your wad is stacked enough to win before you get into a game.

When a table window is open, you can click on any available seat to sit down. You will then see your screen name in that seat. Enter the amount of real money/play money that you would like to bring to the table and click on the "OK" button. Click on the SIT IN button when you want to be dealt in the next hand. Then launch Poker Wingman and click Connect to automatically calculate your odds as you play.

The Blinds

Before the hand starts, the two players sitting to the left of the dealer post 'blind' bets. These are called blinds because they are made before the players have seen any cards. The blinds ensure that there is some money in the pot to play for as the game starts. Here is a key difference in the poker rules in online play and a Vegas casino: The online player to the left of the dealer posts the 'small blind', and the player positioned to his left then posts the 'big blind'. The small blind is usually half the size of the big blind. Feeling burned about the blinds? Shake it off, everyone takes a turn.

The Hole Cards

The hand starts with players each receiving two 'hole' cards that only they can see and use. There is a first round of betting, called the pre-flop, where you decide whether to play your hand or fold your cards.

The Pre-Flop: Texas holdem Poker Rules

The main actions or poker rules are common across all types of poker. But when playing Texas holdem poker, at this point you have not seen the community cards, so your decision is based solely on your hole cards:

CHECK - If there is no wager on the current betting round, you may check. The act of checking passes the action to the next poker player immediately on your left. A check does not forfeit your interest in the pot, it's like a pass to defer your move. If all players check during a round of betting, the round is considered complete.

BET - If there is no wager on the current betting round, you can bet. If you bet, the action moves immediately to your left and any subsequent poker players may fold, raise, or call.

FOLD - When you fold, you're out of that hand. You're still in the game, but you give up any money you put in the pot on that hand. Simple.

CALL - If there has been a wager on the current round of poker play, you can call. Calling means you're gonna match the bet made by your opponent, but you're not going to increase the number of chips.

RAISE - If there has been a wager on the current betting round, you can raise. Raising means you're gonna match the current bet, and make a higher one. All subsequent players are required to call the raise or raise again ("re-raise") to maintain interest in the pot. Feeling nervous about when to raise? That's why you need Poker Wingman!

Experienced poker players fold 75% of their hands at the pre-flop.

When the betting resumes, the player who made the big blind (the first full bet), can 'check' or opt to stay in the game without adding anything to the pot. However, if an opponent has raised, the big blind has three options: he has to either fold, call, or re-raise. This first round of betting is limited to one bet and three raises.

The Flop: Texas holdem Poker Rules

The Flop is where the holdem rules and your unique poker strategy comes into play. Three community cards are dealt face up on the table, and you can combine these cards with your hole cards to make the best possible poker hand. A second round of betting occurs, where you decide to fold, call or raise. In Limit games this second round of betting is the last round at the lower limit. After this round all bets and raises will be at the higher limit.

The Turn: Texas holdem Poker Rules

After the Flop action is complete, a fourth card, the Turn is dealt face up on the table. The Turn is another community card that you can combine in any way with your hole cards. A third round of betting follows, which according to holdem rules, is at the higher limit in Limit games.

The River: Texas holdem Poker Rules

When the action on the Turn is complete, the last community card, "the River card', is dealt face-up, and the final round of betting begins. According to online Texas holdem rules, this round of betting is limited to one bet and three raises.

The Showdown: Texas holdem Poker Rules

The moment of truth. When the action is complete, the pot is awarded to the best five card poker hand. If there is more than one player left in the game, there is a showdown in which the players reveal their cards and the highest hand wins. If two players share an identical hand, the pot is split.

The pot goes to the winner, the dealer button is moved one position in a clockwise direction, the blinds are posted, and another hand begins.

The best way to learn online Texas holdem rules is to actually play it.

Download Poker Wingman and start playing in any of the supported play-money poker rooms.