Poker Rules: Texas Hold'em for Beginners. Added video tutorial

Texas Hold'em is a game that has revolutionized the concept of cards. Its rules can be learned in five minutes, but you cannot find at least one person who will say that he has learned all the intricacies of the game. Precisely because this game is so incredibly deep, and even by losing and losing, a smart player gains a lot, opening the way for future victories, it makes sense to learn the rules. There is much more to poker than just an interesting hobby.

"Texas Hold'em": combinations

As in any other poker, the winner is determined by certain combinations of cards. Before you start playing, you need to be the first to learn. The order of their seniority determines whether you won in a particular hand or not. In fact, these are the main rules of Texas Hold'em.

There are 10 combinations in total, where "kicker" is the weakest, and "royal flush" is the strongest and most invincible combination. The first three of them are very rare and almost invincible. Combinations with 3-7 are considered strong, but even a formidable full house can be defeated in the game. A pair and a deuce are often victorious, but require careful play.

1. Royal flush - straight flush from 10 to ace.
2. "Straight Flush" - five cards of the same suit in order.
3. "Four of a Kind" - four cards of the same rank.
4. "Fullhouse" - a pair and a set in one combination (five cards in total).
5. "Flush" - five cards of the same suit regardless of value.
6. "Straight" - five cards in order, regardless of the suit.
7. "Set" (or three) - three cards of the same rank.
8. Two Pair - a combination of two pairs of the same value.
9. Pair - two cards of the same rank.
10. "Kicker" - high card.

Thus, when playing Texas Hold'em, combinations are what determines the superiority or weakness of one player over another in a given hand.

Beginning of the game

The modern rules of the Texas Hold'em game clearly state all the stages, from the distribution of cards to the determination of the winner. The game involves from 2 to 10 people. The cards are dealt either by the dealer (in casinos and gambling clubs), or by the players themselves one by one.

The player who makes the last bet deals the cards in the game. That is, the last one at the table in the current hand, to determine the position of this player, there is a special token - "button", which denotes the last player in the hand. With each new game it goes to the next player. Clockwise.

The next two players clockwise place the mandatory bets - the small and big blind. They correspond to the size of the minimum bet at the table. After the cards are dealt, the first bet is made by the player to the left of the big blind.

Circle one

Texas Hold'em is a poker game played with two cards. After the cards are dealt, the bidding begins, during which each participant evaluates the strength of his hand. Depending on the pleasant decision, the player breaking off the bidding can choose one of four actions:

1. Call is a bet equal to the big blind.
2. "Raise" - an increase in the rate (at least two times).
3. "Pass" - refusal to play further and discard cards.
4. All-in or all-in. All available chips are placed in the bank.

Of course, you cannot place bets lower than the previously placed one, except in the case when the number of chips in the pot is less than the bet. In this case, the player, if he considers it correct, announces "All-in".

Each player, in turn, takes one of four actions until the bets are aligned, or all players fold to the “pass”, losing to the most aggressive competitor.

The basic rules of Texas Hold'em say that making the right decision at this stage is critical for the entire hand, especially for beginners.

Flop play

After all bets have been made, the dealer opens the "flop" - the first three cards on the table, which are called the "flop". Thus, the players remaining in the hand receive as much information as possible about their hand. More often it is at this stage of the "Hold'em" game that combinations are made that are capable of winning the game.

The flop gives a detailed view of the prospects for a particular hand. The player may have a ready-made combination or collect an incomplete "flush" or "straight" (without one card), which make it possible to play further, at moderate rates of the opponent.

If three cards on the table did not improve the hand, then, most likely, the player needs to fold cards to the opponent's bet. The exception is a pair of queens, kings and aces. Trading on the "flop" is the same as on the "preflop" (first round of betting). However, the rates are usually noticeably higher.

"Turn" and "river"

Any player who is left in the distribution of the "flop" ambassador without a ready-made combination wants to see the card on the table that will change everything in his favor. However, only with the correct calculation, such hopes are justified more often than in 50% of the hands.

The "turn" puts the question squarely - to play in the hope of the last card or to declare a "pass" and count the losses. The choice depends on the opponent, if his bet is too high, it is better to throw the cards away.

River is the last fifth card in the game. After it, another round of trading is announced, and the participants show their cards to find out who will get the bank.

"River" is translated as a river that is associated with the end of the path. A strong combination does not always win on the river, very often someone takes the pot, pushing other participants out of the game.

When playing Texas No Limit Hold'em, the rules say that the best 5-card hand chosen from seven cards wins. Five cards laid out on the table and two pocket cards. Despite the seeming simplicity, "Texas Hold'em" is a poker that has 2,869,685 variations of various combinations.

Limit and No Limit Poker

No-limit poker is the most popular type of game in which the maximum bet is limited only by the number of the participant's chips. In this type of card game, excitement and cold calculation are best combined, since even a very strong professional can suddenly turn away from luck. When playing Texas No Limit Hold'em, the rules allow you to go all-in at any time in the game, making even the toughest opponents nervous. A game with limited stakes is quite another matter.

"Limit hold'em" means that a player's maximum "raise" does not exceed one or two big blinds. The maximum possible bet for the entire distribution is only 24 times the minimum, and then only if the opponents constantly raise the rates. "Limit Hold'em" is a calm and measured game, very often chosen to start playing on the Internet.

Texas Hold'em tournaments

Tournament rules are somewhat different from normal play. The number of participants also starts at two, but there is no upper limit. So, in the largest event of 2014 - the main tournament of the WSOP world series in Las Vegas, 6,680 people sat at the tables. And the total prize fund exceeded $ 65 million.

There are two main differences from a regular cash game:

The rates go up after a certain period of time. As a result, the number of "blinds" in the game decreases over time, and with each new stage the intensity of the game increases.

The second difference is that tournament participants can end it only in two cases: winning or losing all the chips. In a cash game, you can leave the table at any time.

Online tournament experience is very important for novice players as it allows them to get used to playing with different chip counts. Tournaments are considered to be more sporting than cash games.

Sit-and-Go Tournaments

These games are very popular on the internet, in essence they are a single table tournament with 2-10 players. In the first phase, players have between 50 and 200 big blinds.

In tournaments, from 1 to 3 prizes are drawn, and first of all, the players are attracted by the dynamism of the Sit-and-Go. The pace increases, the participants drop out one by one, until at the end there is only one left.

The advantage of Sit-and-Go is that the player participates in all the main stages of the tournament within 30-50 minutes. For a successful game, you need flexibility of thinking and the ability to quickly change tactics depending on the circumstances.

Heads up poker

Heads-up or heads-up play has its own rules. Two-player Texas Hold'em is, first of all, a battle of characters. He has a large bluff percentage and a very aggressive style of play, waiting, you can't win here.

In this game, the "ace" and "king" cards with the second card below ten, which are considered controversial in the ordinary game, acquire great power. It is not uncommon for players to go all-in with these hands.

The heads-up game, first of all, allows you to understand the psychology of the opponent, which in itself is of great importance.

The ability to play Texas Hold'em heads-up is found in all types of games, and it is extremely important to be able to play this poker, but not many can boast of skill here.

Poker Strategy Fundamentals: Table Position

The closer the player is to the button, the higher his chances of winning the game. Conversely, the position of the players in the first positions is dangerous for playing weak and medium-strength hands. The table is divided into 4 zones depending on the position.

The most difficult game in early position, there are three people sitting after the blinds. Common designation UTG 1-3. Then comes the "blinds", their position is weaker than that of UTG, but the "blinds" are the last to bet on "preflop", and therefore can make better decisions.

The middle position, three places after UTG, is designated by the letters MP 1-3. These places are considered to be especially profitable with strong starting hands. The last two hands in the drawing are most profitable. These are "cut-off" and "dealer", they close the hand and make a decision when all the players have already said the word. These hands are best for bluffing.

When the number of players decreases, the UTG position is reduced first, then MP. In a six-player game, only one early and one middle position remains.

Hand strength

It is very important to correctly assess which starting hands to bet with depending on the position. In early position, bets can only be made with very strong hands: AA; KK; QQ; JJ; TT; AK; AQ.

The range of hands in the MP position is complemented by all cards over ten, as well as pairs from 77 and above.

In late position, the range is increased by suited cards of all pairs and cards that can form "straights" and "flushes" (suited 56; 67; 78; etc.). If the bet was made from an early position, it can be called with TT cards; AK; AQ. AA cards; KK; QQ; JJ is the right solution for the "cut". With the rest of the hands, it's better to pass.

The proposed recommendations are well suited for beginners, with experience the strategy of the game changes, it becomes more flexible and technically equipped. "Texas Hold'em" is a poker game that offers unlimited opportunities for development.

Poker bluff

The rules of the Texas Hold'em game do not say anything about bluffing. However, without this element, a successful game is impossible. Bluff is good when it works, and it can be useful when it is revealed.

In the first case, it makes a profit, in the second, it allows you to deceive the opponent if, after exposure, you change the strategy of the game.

However, in the absence of sufficient experience, it is still worth identifying some rules. "Texas Hold'em" does not forgive bluffing mistakes.

• You need to bluff only from late positions, when all the players have already said their word.
• Never bet against players who have made "raises" or large bets.
• Don't bluff often. Only if there is a tangible chance of success, and subject to the first two rules.
• Never bet too much, the bet should be less than the pot, but more than half of it (preferably 2/3).
• Don't fight for big banks. Chips lost on bluffs are very difficult to recover.

There are several effective bluffing strategies, but they are all based on experience and a subtle knowledge of psychology, and therefore you need to enter this part of the game carefully, without making dangerous decisions in the game.

Poker as a philosophy

Playing "Texas Hold'em", the rules, combinations, the first steps in the game - this is not even the beginning. Poker is the matrix of human society, which reflects everything and its weaknesses. Understanding how to play "Hold'em", many believe that they have found the missing link in life, become more holistic and stronger.

The popularity of poker is due to the fact that everyone can find their place in the game, their table, their limit and even their company. And the rules of "hold'em" only help to find this path. The main thing in the game is the ability to correctly find your moment, to see the enemy's momentary weakness, or, conversely, to guess the treacherous "flush" behind feigned nervousness. This game is the knowledge of the world, yourself and other people. Poker is the art of winning, even losing.

We will try to tell you the rules of Texas Hold'em poker as quickly and simply as possible so that you can start the game in 5 minutes. A video lesson will help to consolidate the information visually.

Texas Hold 'em or Texas Hold'em is the most popular form of poker. Therefore, learning the rules of the game should start with Hold'em. We offer you a few simple steps to make it as useful as possible.

Poker rules for beginners

When playing Texas poker, a standard poker deck is used. 52 cards (from deuce to ace, no jokers). Play from 2 to 10 people. The two-player version of the game has a special name - Heads Up. At the start, each player is dealt 2 cards face down. These cards are called native cards. Next, 5 more cards are laid out on the table in a certain order, which are called community cards. Purpose of the game- collect the best poker combination from your own and community cards, or force all opponents to fold their cards.

Texas poker card combinations

For a better understanding, let's divide the entire gameplay (round) into three stages: start, middle and end. And we will analyze each of them separately.

★ Start

The first priority is determining the position of the dealer's chip.

• In offline game the dealer's position is usually determined as follows: each player is dealt 1 card face up and the dealer's chip is received by the player whose card value is higher, while the suit of the card is not taken into account ( For information: In poker, Deuce is the lowest card and Ace is the highest card). If several cards of equal value were dealt, for example, three players received Aces, these players are dealt one more open card. The process continues until the result is clear.
• Online the position of the dealer is determined in a similar way. The only difference is that the cards are dealt automatically.

More about the player's position at the table

The position of the player at the poker table is one of the defining concepts in Hold'em. Not only the course of the game itself depends on it. Position greatly influences your decisions about how to act in specific game situations. To find out what position you are in now, you first need to determine what position the dealer is in.

The dealer's position is indicated by a special chip - the button (the chip with the letter “D” in the picture). The button is passed to the next player clockwise after each rally. That is, in each new hand, the player to the left of the previous dealer becomes the dealer, and, along with this, all other positions are also shifted one clockwise.

The rules of poker for beginners are: first, you need to determine which positions regarding the dealer you are. Positions change as the dealer's chip moves clockwise. It is very easy to learn how to determine the position, but at the same time, position in poker is an important element of the game and greatly influences the playing of certain hands. Positions are allocated as shown in the figure below:

SB, BB - Blinds. The player sitting first to the left of the dealer takes the small blind, denoted. SB (Small Blind). The second player in the blinds takes the position of the big blind, ref. BB (Big Blind). These 2 positions are always present at the poker table. For example, in a two-player game (heads-up), there will be only 2 positions - SB and BB (the position of the dealer in this case will coincide with the position of the big blind).

UTG, UTG + 1 - Early position. UTG is the English abbreviation for Under The Gun "at gunpoint".

The three places to the left of the dealer are called early positions. They are considered the most inconvenient positions, since the players make a move before the others and do not know how the rest of the players will behave. Sometimes there are EP (Early Position) designations

MP, MP + 1, - Middle position. MP is an English abbreviation for Middle Position.

Next 3 players counterclockwise.

CO, BU - Late position. CO is an English abbreviation Cut off "cut off" and BU - button "dealer's button".

Directly the dealer himself, designation. BU (Button), and the player to the right of the dealer is denoted. CO (Cut-off). Sometimes, instead of BU and CO, there are designations LP2 and LP1 (Late Position).

According to the rules of poker, position counting starts counterclockwise from the big blind - BB, SB, BU, CO, MP3, MP2, MP1, UTG3, UTG2, UTG1. If there are less than 10 players at the table, then the positions are removed one by one, starting with the earliest one. That is, if there are 9 people left at the table, the UTG1 position is removed, if 8 - the UTG2 position is removed, if there are 7 players left, then there are no early positions at all, and so on.

Betting rounds

The game consists of four rounds of betting:

• Preflop - the first round of betting, when there are no community cards on the table yet.
• Flop - three community cards are dealt face up on the table.
• Terne - a fourth community card is added.
• River the last, fifth community card is revealed.
  

Preflop is the first round of betting.

What actions can you take while trading?

Trading is conducted according to the following principle: in order to stay in the pot and continue to fight for it, the player must at least equalize all the previous bets of his opponents. That is, all players remaining in the pot by the end of the betting round must invest in it the same number of chips.

During trading, depending on the current situation, you have the following options:
Fold - if the strength of your cards seems to you insufficient to continue the fight for the pot, you say "fold" and fold your cards. By doing this, you refuse to further participate in the drawing and no longer apply for the bank.

Someone has already placed a bet before you:
Call - if you think your cards are strong enough to qualify for the pot, but not strong enough to show aggression, you can simply call the previous bets of your opponents. This action is sometimes also called "limp into the game" ... Remember that the blinds are also bets and must also be called to stay in the pot.
Raise - if you feel confident and your hand is strong enough, you can raise the previous bet by putting pressure on your opponents. In this case, you equalize the previous bet and increase it by an amount that is a multiple of the size of the big blind.

There were no bets before you:
Check - sometimes you have the opportunity to enter the game for free. This situation is possible if no one has bet before you, or you are in the big blind position preflop and all the players limped into the game before you.
Bet - if no one has bet before you, then you can be the first to bet.

Special situation:
All-in - an all-in situation occurs when you put all your chips into the pot. In this case, in any case, you will remain in the bank until the very end.

Before the cards are dealt, the players in the SB and BB positions make mandatory blind bets. The names of these bets coincide with the names of the positions - small and big blinds. The size of the small blind is usually half the big blind - SB = 1/2 BB. After the blinds have been posted, each player is dealt 2 of their own cards and the first round of betting begins.

The player in the earliest position to the left of the BB starts preflop. The right to the next move is transferred clockwise. Each player evaluates the potential of his cards, with what probability they will make the best poker combination in the next rounds of betting, and, based on this, the players place bets and fight for the pot, or, conversely, refuse to continue playing with weak cards.

★ Middle

Flop, Turn and River - five community cards.

After finishing first betting round (preflop) 3 community cards are dealt face up on the board and second betting round - flop ... Board cards are called common cards because all players can use them when making their own combinations. If on the first betting round (preflop) only 2 own cards are evaluated, then on the flop players can already evaluate their cards taking into account the community cards that have opened, and also determine the possibility of their strengthening on the next streets (betting rounds).

On the flop, as well as on the following streets - the turn and river, the first player to the left of the button position starts the trade.
In terminology, the flop, turn and river are not only the names of the betting rounds, but also the names of their corresponding community cards. For example, saying "see the flop" means - to see the 3 community cards laid out on the flop.

On the turn ,third round of betting, another community card is laid out. In total, there are four of them. The trade continues in the same way as on the flop.

On the river reveal the last, fifth community card. In the last round of betting, players can finally judge whether they have collected the best combination among their opponents.

★ End

Showdown - showdown and determination of the winner.

After the fourth round of betting, the final stage of the game begins - showdown ... At this stage, all players remaining in the pot compare the collected combinations. The one with the higher combination wins. A draw is also possible if the players have made exactly the same combinations. In this case, the bank is divided equally.

Before talking about combinations, it should be said that the game may not reach showdown. If the player has managed to "knock out" all the other opponents from the bank with his bets, then the game stops, and the only player remaining in the bank takes all the chips. This player retains the right not to show his cards to opponents, but, if he wishes, he can show them.

Texas Hold'em Poker Rules Video Lesson

Betting systems

The rules for playing Texas Hold'em Poker can also differ in terms of the betting system.

Fixed limit - Other names: FL, Fixed Limit, Limit poker

• Limit poker is a variant of poker where the size of the bet or raise is limited to a certain amount. Limit hold'em distinguishes between high and low bets, for example, at a $ 1 / $ 2 table, the small bet is $ 1 and the big bet is $ 2. In the initial betting rounds (preflop and flop), the size of the bet and raise is limited to the size of the small bet, and in the following rounds (the turn and river) - the size of the large bet.

Pot limit - Other names: PL, Pot Limit

• Pot Limit is a poker variation in which the maximum bet is limited to the current pot size. The minimum bet amount is determined by the previous bet (preflop - the size of the big blind). Thus, the player can declare a bet of an arbitrary size, but limited from below by the amount of the previous bet, and from above - by the size of the already formed bank.

No limit - Other names: NL, No-Limit, no-limit poker

• In no-limit poker, the maximum bet size is not limited by anything other than the player's stack size. A player in any round of betting can bet or raise any size, or even bet all his chips (all-in). The minimum bet size is the size of the bet made by the previous player (for example, in preflop Texas Hold'em, if there were no raises, then this is the size of the big blind).

Almost nothing is known about the history of Hold'em. According to legend, the first games based on it were held in Robstown, Texas, at the beginning of the 20th century. Hold'em has gained its current popularity thanks to the largest tournament, the World Series of Poker (WSOP), which has been held annually in Las Vegas since 1970.

Learning to play Texas poker isn't that hard game mechanics pretty simple, besides, it is the easiest and most popular option. The main goal of the game is to collect a strong combination of cards and take the bank... It is more difficult for beginners to study the nuances, terms, combinations, the course of the game, and trading circles. A lot of questions often arise: how the win is formed, who makes the first move, how many combinations and which one is older, how to resolve controversial situations, what are the flop, turn and river? And other difficulties. In fact, it will be difficult only at first, with each new hand the user learns more and more the rules of Texas Hold'em, learns to do all the actions “automatically”.

Each hand in poker usually lasts no more than five minutes, during which time the players determine the winner and have time to make many moves. Inside one hand (this is how the hand is called in another way), there are the following elements:

• collection of winning combinations;
• setting initial rates;
• circles of trade and the formation of a bank;
• determination of the winner.

These are the main points of one round; there can be several hundred or even thousands of hands within a game session. Let's take a closer look at these Texas Poker rules.

Hold'em combinations

The most important part, it is around the collection of combinations that the whole game is built, in Hold'em poker the rules say that the one whoever can make the strongest combination takes the whole pot... Below are the combinations in ascending order of precedence.

1. High card... A different kicker. Five cards in random order, not related to each other in any way. If all participants do not have any combination, then the leader is determined by the highest card.
2. Pair... First combination. Consists of 2 cards connected to each other with the same denomination. Since any combination must consist of five elements, three more play the role of kickers, they are needed to determine the winner in controversial situations.
3. Two pairs... Two pairs of cards with the same denomination. In Texas Hold'em Poker, the rules state that the seniority of the hand is counted from the highest par Pair. For example, two kings and two tens will beat two queens and two jacks.
4. Set... Three cards with the same denomination. The combination is complemented by two kickers.
5. Straight... Opens combinations in which there is no kicker. Five cards in ascending order of denomination. Everyone should have different suits (if they are the same, this is a different, stronger combination). A combination is allowed ace, 2,3,4,5.
6. Flush... Five cards of the same suit of any value. Seniority is determined by the face value of the highest card in hand. The suits in poker are all the same.
7. Full house. The combination is assembled from Set and Pair, that is, three cards of the same rank and two more. The rules of Texas Hold'em establish that the combination is higher, in which the set is higher at par.
8. Square... Four cards that have the same rank. There is also one kicker here.
9. Street Flush... Five consecutive cards of the same suit.
10. Royal Flush... Royal set. Five cards from 10 to ace of the same suit. Drops extremely rarely.

Before you study the rules of the Texas Hold'em poker game in depth, you need to memorize the combinations by heart. Without this, it is undesirable to sit down at the table, especially in offline mode. When playing over the Internet, it is better to print the combinations and keep them with you, at least for the first time.

Starting bets and the beginning of the game

After learning the combinations, you can sit down at the table and play the first few rounds. Practice will allow you to quickly and better memorize the rules of the Texas poker game, how the draw is going on, how much the winner is entitled to, who becomes the leader and other components.

Per game table it is allowed to sit from two to as many people as you like, the main thing is that everyone has two pocket cards and five common cards on the field. The rooms have accepted formats of 2.5 and 9 participants.

In Texas Hold'em, the rules of the game require two opponents to bet small and big blinds... These are mandatory bets designed to whet the interest of the participants, as well as a guarantee that the winner in any case will receive at least the minimum amount in his hands.

The big blind is always equal to the minimum possible bet of the table, the minimum is half of it.

All players are required to post the big and small blind in turn. The move in each round is transmitted in a circle, according to the movement of the clockwise, so as not to confuse the order, there is a button chip on the table - a special element with a pointer. The rules of the game of poker hold'em state that in the very first hand, the starting bets are made by the two players sitting to the left of the dealer.

Then the immediate distribution of cards and the betting circles begins, further Hold'em rules for the betting circles and the formation of the bank will be considered in the next chapter.

Circles of commerce and bank formation

The first bets have been placed, now the dealer starts dealing. According to the rules of the game of Hold'em, cards are dealt clockwise, starting with the player sitting to the left of the dealer. Everyone receives two cards in their hands, they are not shown to the opponents, having looked at them, the participants decide on their further moves.

The player who made the small blind speaks first, he has several actions available:

• Equalize... In Texas Hold'em rules, it bears the designation Call. That is, the player calls before the big blind.
• Reset... Designation Fold... Discard and exit the current hand, losing the small blind.
• To raise... Designation Raise... The player can increase the big blind by the amount provided by the table limit.
• All in... Designation All-in... Put all your chips on the line. Allowed only in the unlimited version of the game.

The last move belongs to the big blind, he is allowed one more action - Receipt, that is, skip without putting anything into the pot, but on condition that no one has raised.

First round - flop... The croupier puts three cards on the table, they are considered common, all participants can see them and use them to make combinations. In Texas poker, the rules of the game for dummies stipulate that a new round of betting begins, the possible actions of the players are described above.

Second round - turn... The fourth card is dealt on the table. A new round of betting begins, already in this round most opponents throw out cards and leave the game.

Third round - the river... The number of community cards reaches five, the participants open the final round of betting. In Texas poker rules stipulate that at this stage the final pot is formed, which goes to the winner.

Determination of the winner and controversial situations

If there are several opponents left in the game, they produce showdown - showdown and comparison of the collected combinations... Whoever has the strongest combination will take all the winnings for himself. This is where the controversial moments arise, in which beginners get confused, in the rules of Texas Hold'em poker controversial situations are resolved quite simply.

1. Two or more poker players had the same combination. In this case, the rank of the cards that make up the combination is taken into account. For example, a King Flush will beat a Ten Flush. Pair of nines will be stronger than Pair of 3s, and so on. If the base of the set is the same, kickers will count.
2. The combination of cards turned out to be completely the same for two or more opponents, Texas Holdem rules interpret this situation in favor of all participants. In this case, all applicants are declared winners, and the bank goes to them in equal parts.
3. In Texas Holdem poker, the rules allow a situation where all five community cards on the table, if they form any combination, are counted to all players. In this case the bank is divided equally for everyone.
4. If one of the participants has gone all-in, and the other cannot equalize, then side banks are created. The point is that there will be multiple pots at stake. For the number of chips that the player could not equalize, he cannot claim. They go to the participant who has assembled the second strongest combination. It will not be possible to consider all the subtleties of these Hold'em rules, it is easier to understand them directly during the game.

These are the main controversial points that cause difficulties for beginners. The best way to understand all the nuances is practice constantly at the gaming table, even if it will be an ordinary simulator for fun.

Limits in Hold'em Poker

The last aspect to consider in the rules of the Texas Hold'em poker game for beginners is - limits... Each table has certain restrictions regarding the bets of the players in the betting circles, in total there are three draw options.

• Unlimited... This means that every player, regardless of the current round, bank and other indicators, has the right to put any amount at stake. It is allowed to go all-in at any stage, the rest of the participants must support this move, or refuse to fight. This is the most popular variation of the game today.
• Limit... In Limit Hold'em, the rules limit the size of the bets within a strictly allotted interval. This means that the player cannot go beyond the established limits. For example, a $ 10 / $ 20 table means that the minimum bet is $ 10, and the maximum bet is $ 20, you can no longer bet. There is no talk of any all-in here. The most rare variant of the game.
• Pot Limit... The size of bets here depends solely on the bank, how many chips are in it at the current moment of the betting round, and how much the player is allowed to bet. For example, there is 100 dollars in the bank, which means that the participant can set the same amount. All-in is not allowed. The second most popular version of the game.

As you can see, the rules of Texas Hold'em poker are not as complicated as they seem at first glance. The main thing is to constantly practice. And at first, carry a cheat sheet with you so as not to confuse anything.

start, of course, with the rules. There are many different variations of poker: Omaha, Texas Hold'em, Stud and others.

Texas Hold'em is an the most popular kind of poker in the world. Therefore, in this article we will analyze the rules of playing this type of poker.

If we talk about the exact date and place of birth of this game, then it is unlikely that reliable numbers and facts can be found anywhere. The most acceptable version is that it came to us from North America (in particular, from Alaska) in the form in which we know it now.

For the first time the rules of Texas Hold'em were approved in 1900 in Texas (Robstown), which actually owes its name. But his popularity really began to gain momentum with the holding of the first tournament in this poker discipline in 1969.

World Commentator Poker Tournament(WPT) and poker pro Mike Sexton likes to say: " It only takes a minute to learn the rules of Texas Hold'em poker, and a lifetime to become a master. ".

How to learn to play poker? Poker is like an onion - you peel back layers of knowledge one by one. As you travel the poker world, you never stop learning new things.

How to play Texas Hold'em? Rules

Now we will analyze in detail all the stages of the game of poker. You can also learn the hands and rules of Texas Hold'em with the help of the video from the Academy of Poker. Below is a video information about the rules of Texas Hold'em poker is described in more detail.

• Landing

Hold'em is usually played by nine or ten players. On the picture 1 shows a typical landing for this type of poker. In this example, ten players are seated at the table with the same pots (the number of chips).

Picture 1

• Dealer chip

Dealer chip, disc with an inscription "Dealer" or "D", is a very important part of the game as it shows who is dealt and takes position "button"... Each player will have to visit the dealer once in one round. If you play in a casino, there will be a professional dealer at the table with you, distributing cards to everyone except himself. However, in this case too, the dealer's chip moves in a circle from player to player.

First of all, the cards are dealt to the player to the left of the button, and then clockwise. On the picture 1 the dealer's chip is with player 1. In the next hand, player 2 will have it, then player 3, and so on. In a company without a professional dealer, players deal cards (are dealers) in turns.

Dealer position (button) is the most favorable in the game. The player at this place makes a bet last, after he saw what decisions were made by the others. An exception is the first round of betting, as the blinds come into play immediately after the dealer.

• Blinds ("blind bets")

Before the players receive cards, according to the rules, the two players to the left of the dealer must bet the so-called blinds- mandatory bets that are placed by default in each hand. The player to the left of the button (picture 1) bets half the required bet - small blind... The next player places a full bet - big blind... In our example, the small blind is $ 1 and the big blind is $ 2.

• Distribution

After the small and big blinds have been posted, each player is dealt two cards face down and face down. These are pocket cards. The best starting cards, as the rules of Texas Hold'em say, are two aces. The first round of preflop betting begins.

It's no secret that poker is the most widespread and recognizable card game on the planet.Texas Hold'emIs, in turn, the most popular form of poker. He simply has no competitors.

The main poker event around the world -WSOP(or World Series Poker) from year to year gathers many thousands of fans of this card game. And for good reason. Poker is a multi-layered and highly challenging game that you can learn throughout your life. Some well-known professionals admit that they still feel they have not yet reached their pinnacle of poker prowess.

Let's find out all the intricacies of Texas Hold'em

It will not be possible to learn a profitable Texas Hold'em strategy in 15 minutes. But to understand the basic rules and learn the combinations is quite. If you're new to the world of card games, be sure to take the time to study.

So in Texas Hold'emuse a regular deck of cards without jokers... Up to 10 people can play at a time, although regular format - 6 or 9 participants... The heads-up game is also quite popular.

Your goal is to have the best hand by the end of the hand. Or make everyone bluff other players to pass their cards.

Button

Simply put, the dealer's chip. This is a very important part of poker. It is passed from one player to another and shows who will deal the cards and make his bet last. Naturally, if you play in a casino, you don't need to worry about dealing cards. The dealer is always there alone.

The two players to the left of the player on the button must have the blinds before starting the distribution. These are the bets that each bet two players (they will, of course, change) must make. Usually the big blind is two small ones. After the completion of the next distribution, the dealer's chip goes to the player who was previously in the small blind. Etc.

Streets of rates

Are the blinds posted? Fine! Now the dealer deals two cards blindly to all participants. You will use these cards to make combinations. The best possible starting hand in poker is pocket aces. Next, the rounds (streets) of trading begin, of which Texas Hold'em 4. Their names need to be remembered in order to easily navigate the game. The first street to bet is called preflop, then the flop comes. Then the turn ends up on the river.

Preflop

As soon as the dealer (or, perhaps, the player performing this function) has dealt cards to all the players, the first street of bets starts. The one who is in position to the big blind (i.e. to the left of him) starts.This player is believed to be "under the gun"or sits onUTG. Under the gun -worst position to have your say, so you should only bet here with a very strong hand.

So the players have three options:

• Fold - fold the cards and refuse to participate in the distribution
• Call - equalize the bet in order to continue playing. If no one raised in front of you, but you want to call, you will have to call the big blind.
• Raise - raise the bet. You can raise first, or you can rearrange the player who bet for you. If you have good cards, it is best to choose the raise. It is worth considering that in Limit types of Texas Hold'em, the amount of the raise is strictly limited. In No Limit Hold'em, you can bet any amount, up to all-in

Flop

The participants have spoken, which means it’s time to see the first 3 cards face up. Players will be able to use them to make combinations. Already on this street, the balance of power can change significantly.

For example, if you had a strong hand preflopAK, and on the flop there were 472 cards, it will be very problematic to continue the game without hitting. At the moment, you will only have high card which is the worst option in poker.

The "Check" option appears on this and subsequent streets. This means that you do not want to place a bet, but simply pass the move on to another. After the players have said their word again, the third round of betting begins.

Thorn

The dealer lays out the fourth card from the deck. Face down again, so everyone can see it. Bets are placed (or not) and the dealer announces the last street of the bets.

River

That's all. Kon is coming to its logical conclusion. Another community card is dealt, after which all participants reiterate their intentions (check, raise, call or fold).

We open up! (Showdown)

If there is still more than one player in the game, it's time to show your cards and compare them with your opponent's. Whoever has the best combination - he takes the entire bank accumulated for the rounds of trading. But what if two (three, four, etc.) poker players have the same hands? Then the kicker looks like, the second highest card. If there are none, the pot is divided equally between the opponents.

Most often there are two players left on the river. And there are situations when the game ends much earlier - if someone with his big bet forces everyone else to fold. Thus, the hand in Texas Hold'em can, in fact, end before the flop.

Varieties of "Texas"

As mentioned above,Texas Hold’ emcan be limited or unlimited.

Fixed Limit Is the type of game that online poker beginners often start with. And they choose it because it is quite difficult to play everything at once in it. The bottom line is that the maximum bet allowed is equal to the big blind.

Pot Limit - This is also a variant of limit hold'em, but here the amount of the bet depends directly on the current size of the pot. The minimum raise size is equal to twice the size of the previous bet. It is quite difficult to understand, but in the online game, all calculations will be carried out automatically.

# Limit - will definitely give odds to any other type of Texas Hold'em. It attracts players by the fact that the size of the bet here is limited only by your chips in the game. No Limit Game is the ability to win huge pots in one hand. Here you can both quickly become a rich man and waste all your money down the drain.

Position

A few words should be said about the position. She is definitely a very important component of the game. The later position you are, the better for you. After all, everyone has already said their word, and now you have a lot of useful information.

Hand strength

Always remember that the goal is to get to showdown with the best possible hand.

Opponents

You are playing with real people. Many of them perform actions that can betray the strength of their hand. Watch them carefully if you play offline. Spot the mistakes they make and use it. And if you prefer virtual games- take notes on how the player acts in a certain situation.

Learning to play poker is not easy. Only perseverance, work, constant work on yourself will turn you from a “fish” into a “shark”. Knowing the rules is just the tip of the iceberg. There is still a very long way ahead. But if you are ready to comprehend the basics of this great game, it will give you a lot of real emotions.