So you want to play Texas Hold Em poker? Well, you’ve come to the right place! This guide will teach you the basics of this popular poker format, including the different hands dealt in the game and what they mean.
Read up on all things Texas Hold Em below, then test your knowledge with a round or two on GGPoker, the world’s largest poker room. Simply sign up for an account on their website and gain instant access to round-the-clock poker cash games and tournaments.
What is Texas Hold Em poker, and how is it different from standard poker?
Texas Hold Em is a variation of the traditional game of poker. The main difference is that in Texas Hold Em, players only get two cards instead of the usual five. Five other cards are dealt face-up on the table at separate points in the game and can be used by all players to create their best poker hand.
A game of Texas Hold Em can have anywhere from two to 10 players at a time. Every player’s aim is still to make the best five-card combination possible with their two “private” cards and the “exposed” cards at the table to win all the chips in the pot. But with only two cards to start with, the game becomes a lot more dynamic and requires a different strategy to succeed.
Texas Hold Em terms and slang
Before we move on to more technical aspects of the game, let’s look at some of the standard terms you’ll encounter when playing Texas Hold Em poker.
Texas Hold Em uses many of the same jargon and slang as in most poker variants. These include phrases like “all-in,” “ante,” “blinds,” and “bluff.” But here are some Texas Hold Em specific terms you should know:
Hole Cards
These are the cards dealt at the beginning of the game that only you can see. Each player on the poker table gets two hole cards.
Community Cards
These are the cards dealt face-up on the table that all players can see and use to create their best poker card combinations.
In Texas Hold Em, five community cards are dealt at intervals throughout the game (see below).
Pre-Flop
The pre-flop is the first betting round after hole cards are dealt and before the flop is revealed.
Flop
The flop pertains to the first triad of community cards dealt at the center of the table. It also triggers the second betting round.
Turn (Fourth Street)
The turn, or fourth street, is the fourth community card dealt face-up on the table. It signals the third betting round.
River (Fifth Street)
The river, or fifth street, is the last community card dealt face-up on the table. It signals the fourth and final betting round.
Post-Flop
The post-flop is any betting round after the flop is revealed.
Showdown
The showdown is when all players show their hole cards, and the best five-card poker hand is determined.
Now that we’ve gone over some commonly used terms in Texas Hold Em, let’s look at the different types of hands you can make in the game.
What are the different Texas Holdem hands?
To win at Texas Hold Em, you need to know which {{poker hands}} beat which. Here is a rundown of the different Texas Hold Em hands from highest to lowest:
Royal Flush
The royal flush is the strongest hand you can make in Texas Hold Em. It consists of the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the same suit.
Straight Flush
A straight flush has five consecutive cards of the same suit—for instance, a hand with ace-king-queen-jack-ten of hearts.
Four of a Kind
Otherwise known as quads, a four of a kind contains four cards of the same rank, such as four aces.
Full House
A full house is a hand with three of a kind and a pair—for instance, three aces and two kings.
Flush
A flush has five cards of the same suit. The rank of the cards doesn’t matter, as long as they are all the same suit.
Straight
A straight contains five consecutive cards. The cards’ suits don’t matter. An ace can be high or low in a straight, meaning it can either come after a king or before a two.
Three of a Kind
Also known as a trip or a set, a three of a kind has three cards of the same rank.
Two Pair
A two pair has two cards of the same rank and two more cards of the same rank.
Pair
A pair is a hand with two cards of the same rank.
High Card
If you don’t have any other combination that qualifies as a Texas Hold Em hand, then the highest card in your hand is your high card.
Time to get into the rules of the game. The following section gives a step-by-step guide on how to play Texas Hold Em poker.
How do you play Texas Hold Em poker?
Texas Hold Em is a straightforward game. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to play:
1. The two players to the left of the dealer button are required to post forced bets, aka blinds. The player to the dealer’s left is called the small blind and must make half of the big blind, or the player to their left’s bet. The big blind is the minimum amount you can bet in Texas Hold Em.
2. Every player is dealt two hole cards face down.
3. The first betting round begins. The player to the big blind’s left makes the first move. They can either call, raise, or fold.
4. The flop is revealed, and the second betting round begins, this time with the player to the dealer’s left. They can either call, raise, or fold.
6. The turn is revealed, and the third round of betting begins. The player to the dealer’s left acts first.
8. The river is revealed, and the fourth and final round of betting takes place, starting with the player to the dealer’s left.
9. If more than one player is still in the hand after the river, it’s time for a showdown. All players reveal their hole cards, and the best five-card Texas Hold Em hand wins the pot.
And that’s all there is to it! Of course, your strategy and technique will develop the more you play Texas Hold Em and, consequently, influence your chances of winning every game. But this guide should give you a good starting point. Give it a try and see how you fare! Texas Hold Em poker might just be your new favorite game.
