Texas Hold’em Poker: Rules, Bet Limits, & Betting Rounds

Texas Hold’em Poker has become the hottest poker game going . The games popularity has grown leaps and bounds due to all the exposure it receives on television, the Internet and in land based casinos. Hold’em has replaced 7 Card Stud as the most common poker game in the U.S.A. and even a large part of the world.

Types of Texas Hold’em Poker

The three choices of Texas Holdem Poker are no-limit, limit and pot-limit. The basic rules for each of the games are the same except for how much the player can bet, which changes the strategy on each game.

With no-limit hold’em you can bet any amount equal or above the big blind and even pushing all-in (betting all your chips) at anytime.

In limit hold ‘em, bets and raises during pre-flop and the flop must be equal to the big blind; this amount is called the small bet. In the next two rounds of betting, the turn and river, bets and raises must be equal to twice the big blind; this amount is called the big bet. Any time you wish to re-raise, you must raise at least the amount of the previous raise.

With pot-limit hold-em, the maximum raise is the current size of the pot (the total amount that has been played).

Basic Texas Hold’em Poker Instructions

Texas Hold ‘em Poker is played by using small and big blinds. What this does is force bets by two players and in most tournaments the size of the blinds will get larger as the tournament progresses. A dealer button is used to represent the player in the dealer position; the dealer button rotates clockwise after each hand, changing the position of the dealer and who has to post the small and big blinds. So at the table, everyone will take their turn.

Betting and Playing in Texas Hold’em Poker

Each player is dealt two cards face down,known as your hole or pocket cards, with the player in the small blind receiving the first card and the player on the button having the last card dealt. This is known as the “pre-flop” betting round . Betting begins with the player to the left of the big blind and continues clockwise. Players can either bet, raise (up to raise limit/cap) or fold.
Next comes “the flop” which is three cards dealt face up on the table. This is the board and all cards there are community cards (cards that everyone uses to make their hand). Another round of bets are then made beginning with the player to the dealer’s left and continues clockwise.
After the flop betting ends, another card is dealt on the board. This card is known as “the turn” and is followed by a third round of betting.
After the turn round, the final card is then dealt on the board. This is “the river“. Another round of betting is done, and then it’s time for a showdown if two or more players are left in the hand. The best five card hand wins!

Just remember that in Texas Hold’em Poker, your hand will consist of the best five cards possible for you (this can consist of either one or two cards in your hand, the hole cards, and three or four on the board, which are the community cards, depending on how many of the hole cards you use – this can even mean your best hand may be the five board cards). So good luck at the felt and never bet more than you can afford.

[thanks to ericskiff and carolina gambler via cc]

Related posts:

Topic: Strategy
Tags: limit, no-limit, pot-limit, texas hold'em poker
February 9, 2010
2 Comments

2 Responses to “Texas Hold’em Poker: Rules, Bet Limits, & Betting Rounds”

Nick Ciavarella 10 February 2010 at 1:58 pm Permalink

There are several issues that I would like to discuss regarding the article on Basic Texas Hold’em and Betting and playing Texas Hold’em. There are more choices than the ones mentioned in the article. I will write about that when I have more time. I do want to correct an error under the title Betting and Playing Texas Hold’em. #1 the last sentence pertaining to “pre-flop”. Players do not have an option to check (they must at least call the big blind), fold or raise, and they may not be allowed to raise if the raise limit (or cap) has been reached before the action gets to them. I also need to point out that, the last statements of the article, telling players that they may use one or both hole cards along with the five community cards is also not correct. The best five cards will play and that could be all five board cards, (playing the board).
Nick Ciavarella
Poker Instructor

Reply
- Mike Smack 12 February 2010 at 5:47 pm Permalink
  
  Thanks for the comment Nick! I’ve made adjustments to the article – hope it’s more clear now.
  
  I’d definitely love to hear your thoughts on the different choices available and I’m sure others would as well.
  
  Reply