Texas Holdem Rules

Texas Holdem is by far the most popular poker variation in the world and belongs to the group of community card games where players share some of the cards with each other.

Before each hand can start two players have to make forced bets. The first one is called the small blind and is made by the player to the left of the dealer, the second is called big blind and is made by the player to the left of the small blind, ie two seats to the left of the dealer.

The size of the small and big blind varies but in a so-called $10/20 limit game where the bets on the first two betting rounds are $10 and the bets on the last two betting rounds are $20 the small blind is $5 and the big blind $10.

In Texas Hold em play starts with each player being dealt two cards face down, known as the hole cards. The first betting round called pre-flop then begins with the player to the left of the big blind.

If more than one player remains after the pre-flop round the dealer deals out the flop which consists of three face-up community cards. This is then followed by a second betting round which, just as all subsequent betting rounds, beginning with the player to the left of the dealer.

After this, a single fourth community card called the turn is dealt face-up followed by yet another betting round. A final community card called the river is then dealt face-up followed by the fourth and last betting round.

If more than one player remains after that all players have to show their hands and the player with the best hand takes the pot. Since cards are shared it can frequently happen that two or more players have the exact same hand. In such cases, they split the pot.

Texas Hold em hands are made by combining the two hole cards with the five community cards. Each player may use any combination he wants containing one, both or none of his hole cards with up to five of the community cards.

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