The Ultimate Guide on How to Play Texas Holdem Poker: From Beginners to Advanced
If you’re a poker enthusiast and want to learn how to play Texas Holdem, then this guide is for you. One of the most popular card games in the world, is also known as Draw Poker and Deuces or Holes Poker.
It’s possible that you’ve heard these names before but are not exactly sure what they mean. This article will fully explain everything you need to know about playing Texas Holdem. Before reading further, keep in mind that learning how to play Texas Holdem takes time and practice.
There are many nuances within this game that take time to understand – much less master. However, with patience and continued practice, you’ll soon be able to compete with more experienced players at the table.
What is Texas Holdem?
Texas Holdem is a variation of poker that typically involves a deck of 52 cards and a standard deck of 52 poker chips. There are multiple variations of poker that are used throughout the world, with Texas Holdem being one of the most popular variations.
The game is based around a series of poker hands that are ranked in order of best hand to worst hand. The highest ranked hand is the “Royal Flush”, followed by the “Straight Flush”, the “Flush”, then the “Full House”, the “Three of a Kind”, the “Two Pairs”, the “One Pair”, the “High Card” and finally, the “low Card”.
Poker Hands in Texas Holdem
When playing Texas Holdem, there are a few poker hands that are used to determine the winner of each hand.
The Royal Flush – A poker hand consisting of a straight flush and a royal flush. A straight flush is when you have all five cards in a straight suit (such as hearts or clubs), and a royal flush is when you have a flush and three additional cards in the same suit.
There are also other types of poker hands that are used in Texas Holdem, with some being a little more common than others. The poker hands that are commonly used during Texas Holdem are as follows:
Full House – This hand contains three of a kind and a pair. It’s considered a strong hand that’s very likely to win.
Straight – A poker hand consisting of five consecutive cards that are in a straight suit (for example, five cards in a row all in the same suit, or all in different suits, but in a straight line).
Three of a Kind – This hand contains three of the same cards, but not necessarily in the same order.
Two Pair – A hand with two pairs of different cards (for example, a pair of A’s and a pair of 5’s or 7’s).
One Pair – A hand with two different cards.
High Card – A hand consisting of only one card.
How to Play Texas Holdem
Texas Holdem is played with a standard deck of 52 cards, plus two jokers. All poker hands are played with two people and there are five betting rounds within a Texas Holdem game. Each round consists of a community card that is shown to all players and then the last card is revealed to determine if there is a tie.
If a player has a better hand than the community card, then they get to keep all their original bets and win the pot. The following is a brief guide to each of the five betting rounds in Texas Holdem.
– Betting Round One
The first betting round is where every player folds their cards face down. This is done to determine the best two cards in the deck. These cards are then used to make the best five-card poker hand. The player with the highest-ranked hand wins the pot and keeps all the bets that were made during the round.
– Betting Round Two
The second betting round is when each player reveals their cards. All players reveal their cards at the same time and the best five-card hand is again used to determine who wins the pot. If there is a tie again, then the pot is split evenly between the two players (or kept by the winner).
– Turn and River
The last two cards are then revealed, and they are used to create the best possible poker hand. Whoever has the highest-ranked hand at the end of the round wins the pot and earns the right to be the next dealer.
Conclusion
Texas Holdem is a card game that is played with a standard deck of 52 cards, plus two jokers. The standard deck consists of cards such as twos, fives, tens, and kings. Players then begin by betting on the best two cards in the deck that are used to create a five-card poker hand.
Whoever has the highest-ranked hand at the end of the betting round wins the pot and earns the right to be the next dealer. Texas Holdem is a game that can be played by both seasoned poker players and beginners alike. All you really need to know to play Texas Holdem is the rules and some helpful tips. With that in mind, follow along as we walk you through the basics of Texas Holdem.